Harry Potter and a Marauder Revival
by WizardWriting
Summary: After a sudden turn of events, Harry and Hermione now must complete their sixth year of Hogwarts in 1976. As Harry witnesses his dad trying to coerce his mum to go on a date with him, Harry also battles new yet growing feelings for Hermione. Just when everything falls into place, a shocking turn of events tests the grounds of friendship and romance involving Harry and Hermione.
1. The Boy on the Floor

Harry Potter and a Marauder Revival

Chapter 1: The Boy on the Floor

He was looking in a mirror…there was no other way to explain it. While he assumed to be looking at his reflection, his back ached terribly while his head was throbbing as if a strong fist was trying to beat its way out of his skull. He closed his eyes in pain as he heard a voice ring out; while the person the voice belonged to was standing feet away, the boy on the floor felt as if he was standing miles off in the distance.

He turned his head and saw a tangle of brown curls; that must have been her but before he could voice his thoughts, he had noticed his reflection did not turn his head when he had done so seconds before.

It was then that he noticed the differences between him and his apparent reflection: the eyes were of a different color while there was no lightning-shaped scar on his reflection's forehead. However, there was something strangely familiar about him…what could it be?

"The way you two fell, we thought it was a fact you both were goners," his reflection stated. It was then that the boy on the floor realized this was not his reflection for he had to yet utter a single word.

"Anyway, let's get the two of you up, then," said the young man. He stretched out his hand and pulled the boy to his feet. "I'm James, James Potter," the young man said, stretching out his hand.

He couldn't speak; no words would form to say anything back for he was completely and utterly shocked. Surely he was dreaming and in a moment's time, he would wake up. There was no way this was a possibility by any stretch of the imagination.

"Might I ask yours," James suddenly asked. Distracted, with his head still throbbing with immense pain, he came up with the truth, well, the partial truth.

"Harry," the boy from the floor said, shaking hands with James.

"Harry what," James asked, his face masked with puzzlement.

"Just Harry," he answered back. In truth, Harry wanted to answer 'Harry Potter' but seeing as Harry had no idea where he was or why his father was standing in front of him in his teenage glory, Harry had decided the partial truth has okay at the present time.

Harry looked down on the floor and saw Hermione. Another young man was huddling over her, checking for a pulse.

"Yep, she's alive too," the young man said before looking at Harry. "Wow, I must say, you look remarkably like James."

"Yeah, it is odd, isn't it, Remus? What do you think Sirius?"

Another young man whom Harry had not noticed before stepped forward, seeming to size Harry up.

"Well, the two of you could be twins except for the eyes and that strange scar this one has on his forehead," Sirius said, pointing at Harry.

Harry, ignoring the now pointed stares from his father and his two best schoolmates, rushed over to Hermione, ignoring the pleas his head was sending throughout his body to move slowly.

"Hermione? Can you hear me? Please wake up," Harry begged.

"You say her name is 'Hermione,'" Remus asked, looking over at Harry as both were kneeling by her lifeless form; Harry merely nodded in response not taking his eyes off one of his best friends.

James and Sirius had also knelt by Hermione, looking at her and Harry with strange and bewildering eyes.

"I think it's best to take her to the hospital wing," James muttered finally, steeling a glance at Harry; Harry, having no better option, nodded again wordlessly.

As Harry made to scoop Hermione into his arms, James put a hand on his shoulder suddenly and said, "Let Remus do that…it seems to me you're unsteady enough and we wouldn't want you to drop her on the way, would you?"

Harry nodded but as soon as he did, he wished he hadn't: his head ached even more terribly. He shut his eyes forcefully, willing the pain in his head to recede.

Remus took Hermione into his arms and followed James and Sirius out of the bathroom they were in with Harry bringing up the rear.

It was truly bizarre: the last thing Harry had remembered was talking to Hermione as they walked back up from the Great Hall having finished dinner as Ron had detention with Snape. As they were walking, Harry suddenly felt his stomach flip over and the next moment, he was staring at the younger version of his father.

Instantly, a surge of electricity shot through Harry: if his father was here, wherever here was, his mother would certainly be around as well. Momentarily forgetting about heading to the hospital wing, Harry carefully turned his head left and right, trying to see if he could see his mother wandering the corridors. Unfortunately, the corridors were quiet…it must be late at night.

Soon, Harry found himself entering the hospital wing. The beds were empty as four different candles provided little light on the deserted ward.

"Um, Madam Pomfrey," James called out, looked around for the hospital matron. "Are you here?"

Suddenly, a door to their left banged open and a very flustered Madam Pomfrey exited her office.

"What is the meaning of this? What are you doing out of your beds? And what on earth are you holding, Mr. Lupin," she asked, firing off her questions without taking a single breath.

"Madam, we were heading back from detention when we heard a disturbance in the fourth-floor lavatories. We went inside and found this girl," Sirius said, pointing at Hermione, "and him on the floor, both unconscious. She still hasn't woken up."

Madam Pomfrey's eyes suddenly lit up seeing the lifeless form of Hermione and a very confused looking Harry.

"Oh my word," she said. "Okay, Mr. Lupin, put her here on this bed," she said, taking control of the situation as Remus did as he was told. "As for you," she said, placing both of her hands on Harry's shoulders, "you look like you need your rest too." Madam Pomfrey nodded her head next to the unoccupied bed of Hermione.

"And you three, stay where you are; I need to alert the headmaster," she said, waving her wand and a light blue vapor shot out of it and raced out of the ward.

As Harry made his way over to his bed, Madam Pomfrey attended to Hermione, checking her vital signs and muttering every so often. Harry looked over at his father and saw him starting straight at him; meanwhile, Sirius was shooting small bouts of blue fire out of his wand, whistling, while Remus kept looking over at him, silently willing Sirius to stop; Harry then noticed a prefect's badge on Remus's robes.

Suddenly, the doors of the hospital ward opened and in walked Professor Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall. Instantly, James, Sirius, and Remus jumped to their feet.

"Poppy, what is the meaning of this," Dumbledore asked her kindly, noticing two students he had never seen before in Hogwart's robes.

"Well, Mr. Potter, Mr. Black, and Mr. Lupin here came in with this young girl and young boy with no real means of explanation of how these two arrived here," Madam Pomfrey replied.

"Mr. Lupin, could you please explain to me what happened," Dumbledore said, turning to look at Remus.

"Well, it's like Madam Pomfrey said; James and Sirius were heading back from detention with Professor Slughorn for not turning in their assignments on time and I was patrolling the corridors. We then heard a noise coming from the fourth-floor lavatory. We went inside to investigate and we found those two lying on the floor, unconscious."

Professor Dumbledore nodded his head, seeming to believe Remus's story. "Okay, you three may go."

As James, Sirius, and Remus turned to leave, Harry felt his heart constrict in his chest. Was this the one time he would see his father alive and what of his mother? He had to see her at least once before waking up from this strange dream of his.

As Harry watched them go, he distinctly heard Sirius say, "Really, Moony, you had to tell Professor Dumbledore about us not finishing our Potions easy?"

"Oh what a load of rubbish; he probably knows anyway," Remus retorted.

"Now look here, just because he's the headmaster doesn't mean he knows everything," Sirius shot back.

"You're one to talk-," Remus started to say before their voices faded in the darkness of the corridor beyond. Harry had noticed that his father had kept silent, seeming lost in his own thoughts.

Professor Dumbledore was standing over Hermione, running his wand over her; Harry distinctly heard him muttering a strange incantation. He then shifted his focus from just meeting his father over to Hermione, willing her to wake up and for her to not be hurt in any way.

His bright green eyes pleaded as Professor McGonagall and Madam Pomfrey looked on in a rather worried manner.

Then, a soft groan was heard and Hermione's eyes fluttered open. Harry's heart seemed to perform backflips in his chest as one of his best friend's was now awake.

"Harry? Harry, where are you," Hermione gasped, her voice faint.

"I'm here, Hermione; I'm right here," Harry said, rushing over to her. When her eyes found him, she smiled faintly. She then turned her attention to Professor Dumbledore, Professor McGonagall, and Madam Pomfrey.

"Oh, hello professors," Hermione said, slightly embarrassed to find them staring at her with shocked expressions. "Um, do you think you could explain how I got here, Professor Dumbledore," Hermione asked, pushing herself in a sitting position.

For a brief moment, Professor Dumbledore's face flittered with shock before returning to a friendly gaze.

"Forgive me, but it seems as if you know my name but I'm afraid I do not know yours," Professor Dumbledore said, smiling kindly over at Hermione.

Hermione's mouth fell open; Harry could only imagine what could be going through Hermione's mind right now.

"You, you, don't know who I am," she asked, taken aback by his answer.

"No, I'm afraid I do not," Professor Dumbledore responded.

Harry thought it was best to intervene, starting to put the pieces together. "Um, Professor, may I ask what year this is? You see, my friend and I, Hermione Granger is her name, have taken a good hit to the head and we seem to have forgotten the year."

"Of course…but before I answer, may I have your name," he inquired.

"It's Harry," Harry replied, looking over at Professor Dumbledore; the headmaster's bright blue eyes seemed to be x-raying Harry as Harry looked away. It seemed as if Professor Dumbledore was waiting for Harry to tell them his last name but when he didn't, Professor Dumbledore continued smiling brightly.

"Well, Harry, and Hermione, we are in the year 1976. The two of you are currently at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."

"1976," Hermione gasped, her eyes growing wide in both fear and wonder. "How, why, I don't understand…how," she stuttered.

"I take it you two are somewhat surprised by the current year," Professor Dumbledore said, nodding his head slowly. Harry himself was bewildered; this explained it…he and Hermione had somehow traveled back in time; to put it more specifically, back in time to of his father and mother's era at Hogwarts.

Hermione's eyes found Harry's suddenly and he seemed to understand what her eyes conveyed: they were traveling on very thin ice. Could they risk telling Professor Dumbledore, Professor McGonagall, and Madam Pomfrey they were from the future? Would it alter the time foundation basis in which secrecy is an ultimatum?

"Professor McGonagall and Madam Pomfrey, may I kindly ask you to wait a moment outside while I speak to both Miss Granger and Mr. Harry alone," Dumbledore said, noticing the worrying glances the two shared.

Both women nodded and silently walked out of the ward. Once the door closed behind them, Professor Dumbledore waited for either Harry or Hermione to speak.

"Professor, I am unsure of how much to tell you but I think it is safe to say that we, meaning Harry and I, are not from this time," Hermione said slowly, carefully looking into the headmaster's bright blue eyes. "We are also unsure of how we came to be here."

"It's true sir; the last thing I remember is walking back from the Great Hall after dinner and then suddenly, I found myself here," Harry added.

Professor Dumbledore seemed to carefully consider their story in his head, his blue eyes scrutinizing their Hogwarts robes.

"This is a very serious matter, I am afraid to say. And there was no time-turner involvement of any sorts," Dumbledore asked; Hermione shook her head from side to side.

"I think it would be wise for you to tell me if you are from the past or the future but not the exact year. If we are to find a solution for this problem, I need to know where to start researching," Dumbledore asked them.

"We're from the future, sir," Harry replied.

"Very well, very well," Dumbledore said calmly. "I think however, in the meantime, it would be best for the two of you to stay within the walls of Hogwarts. Dark and dangerous times are about as our community is under the threat of open warfare."

"There's a war going on," Harry asked, dumbfounded that he and Hermione left one war only to back in the middle of another.

"Harry, don't you remember? This is Voldemort's first reign of terror," Hermione scolded. Instantly, Hermione's hands flew to her mouth and her eyes grew wide as Professor Dumbledore's eyes darted over to her.

"I must say Miss Granger, I have yet to hear any student of your age utter Voldemort's name," Professor Dumbledore said. "But do not be afraid…fear is nothing but a feeling that welts against the face of bravery," Dumbledore continued, winking at Hermione.

"Now, as I was saying, with a hostile environment taking place at the present time, I would recommend the two of you stay and take classes here until a resolution can be found about your situation. What year are the two of you in?"

"We had just started our first week back of our sixth year," Harry replied. Harry noted how Professor Dumbledore's eyes kept flowing up to his forehead yet he did not question Harry about his scar.

"Well, it seems as if you have been transported to exactly the same time in the years past for we have also just started our first week back as well. And judging by your robes, I take it the both of you are in Gryffindor?" Both Harry and Hermione nodded their heads.

"Then, I suggest the two of you rest here for the night and attend class tomorrow according to your schedules," Dumbledore said. In one fluid movement, Dumbledore conjured two pieces of parchment out of thin air with each paper falling into the hands of Harry and Hermione.

Harry looked down at his parchment and found it was blank. Just as he was about to ask Professor Dumbledore about it, writing suddenly appeared, outlining his class schedule. He also noticed that at the top of the parchment, his name was written as "Harry."

"If anyone asks, which I am sure some students will, tell them the two of you are new students. Also, if the two of you have any trouble, please do not hesitate to visit me in my office or visit Professor McGonagall's office as head of Gryffindor house. Tomorrow morning, I will have a Gryffindor prefect come to take you down to breakfast and show you around the castle. We cannot have other students knowing you are from the future, can we," Professor Dumbledore asked, noting the questioning look on Harry's face.

"Do the two of you have any further questions?" Harry looked over at Hermione who was silently shaking her head. "Well then, I bid the two of you a very good night." With that, Professor Dumbledore made his way out of the hospital ward. Madam Pomfrey returned and stated to fuss over Harry.

"Professor Dumbledore told me to give the two of you a dreamless sleep potion. Don't you two move, I'll be right back." Harry watched as Madam Pomfrey bustled away to her office to brew the two potions.

"Hermione, what do you think," Harry asked looking over at her; Harry thought he knew the answer to that question after seeing the look on her face.

"Oh, Harry, this is just too confusing! How are we supposed to go about acting like we are two new students two decades in the past? And you; you have to walk the halls and no doubt have the same classes as your parents! I don't think this is a good idea, Harry. Who knows what will happen in the future just by interacting with everyone here?"

Even in Hermione's distress, Harry could not help but wonder how amazing it would be to get to know his parents. Apart from brief stories Sirius and Remus had told him, along with Snape's memory from the previous year, Harry did not know much about his parents.

"Hermione, maybe we can think about it like this: we can interact with everyone here but we don't give any tips about what the future will be like."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, as much as I hate to admit it, my parents will have to die at the hands of Voldemort and Sirius will have to die by Bellatrix," Harry said, snarling at the mention of "Bellatrix's" name. "It has to happen or else, our present time could be altered for the worse when we go back."

"Harry, what if we can't go back and we're stuck here? What will happen to Ron and Ginny? What is happening to them right now," Hermione whispered feverishly.

In truth, after seeing his father and his friends as teenagers along with being told the news he was stuck in the year 1976, he hadn't given much thought to his best mate, Ron, or his younger sister, Ginny.

"Hermione, this is Professor Dumbledore we're talking about. I'm sure he'll find a way to send us back home." He gave Hermione a small smile after seeing worry etched over her face.

Madam Pomfrey returned with their dreamless sleep potion and both students downed the potion and waited for sleep to capture them. In all honesty, Harry had never before been more excited in his whole life; tomorrow, he would see his dad and his mum and nothing was going to stop him.

Well, I hoped you enjoyed the very first chapter! Chapter 2 will be posted soon! Don't forget to review!


	2. Blindsided

Harry Potter and a Marauder Revival

Chapter 2: Blindsided

The following morning, Harry was shook awake by Hermione. He could barely feel her hands rustling his arm as despite his immense excitement from the night before, he feel into a rather deep sleep.

Sighing, Harry rubbed his eyes and put his glasses on. He turned over and looked at Hermione standing over him, relief sweeping across her face.

"Hermione, what's wrong? Has something happened," Harry asked suddenly.

"No, I just thought you wouldn't wake and I would be stuck here by myself," she said quietly, wrapping her arms around herself. "I don't like being here alone."

Harry was surprised by Hermione's admission; despite her Gryffindor courage, Harry noticed that Hermione also had somewhat of a disquieting but brief lack of confidence she sometimes showed.

"And here I was thinking we both had been dreaming the same dream," Harry said as Hermione laughed once.

"Harry, are you sure you can do this? Meeting your parents, I mean," Hermione explained seeing Harry's eyes pull together in question.

"I don't have a choice, Hermione. For some reason, the two of us are stuck here. As Professor Dumbledore figures our situation out, remembering what he told us last night, it would be safest for us to stay here in Hogwarts. Who knows what will happen if one of us, you know, passed on, in the past," Harry said, choosing his words carefully.

Hermione nodded and looked out of one of the hospital's windows at the bright sunshine that was bathing the grounds.

"I miss it, Harry. Being gone only one night truly shows how much we left behind in our own time. This just feels so out of place and un-uniform. But you're right; we need to go through with this," Hermione said. To Harry, it seemed as if Hermione was giving herself a pep-talk.

"Don't worry, Hermione; although we're in a different time, we're not away from home. And don't forget, we still have each other," Harry said, smiling at her in which she gave small smile in return.

Just then, the hospital doors slowly creaked open, alerting both Harry and Hermione. They saw a glimmer of red hair that peeked around, looking inside the ward. For a brief second, Harry thought Ginny had followed them but in his next heartbeat, Harry recognized a younger version of his mother.

A smile crept over his face as his mother, Lily Evans, slowly walked into the hospital. She smiled shyly as she walked closer and closer to Harry and Hermione. Harry wanted to stop time right then and there and lock away this moment forever.

Growing up, it was hard coming to terms not remembering his parents; days past in which Harry's mind would always revert back to see if he could remember anything about them: an expression perhaps or words of comfort they used to speak to him but in the end, nothing could be retained.

Being raised without his parents had a damaging effect on Harry; an effect he would never come to terms about in understanding.

"Hello, my name is Lily Evans and I am one of the Gryffindor prefects. Professor Dumbledore informed me early this morning that the two of you are new to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and I am to show you around for a day or two until you are familiar with your schedule," she said, her bright green eyes shining in earnest.

"May I ask your name," she said politely, turning to Hermione.

"My name is Hermione Granger," Hermione responded, smiling over at Lily.

Lily then turned her attention to Harry but when she did, a look of shock crossed over her face. "James?"

"Er, excuse me," Harry asked, feeling uncomfortable.

"I- I'm terribly sorry; it's just that, you look remarkably like someone I know," Lily said. "Um, what's your name?"

"My name is Harry," Harry replied.

"Harry what?"

"Just Harry."

"Well, okay then. Are you two ready to- ," however at that exact moment, the hospital doors banged apart and in walked James Potter. Harry's heart gave another great leap as he saw his father, messy hair, glasses, and an arrogant stride waltz next to Lily.

"Give them the briefing of the castle, did you? Good," James said playfully.

"James what are you doing here? You are not a Gryffindor prefect. Where's Remus," Lily asked, hands on her hips.

"I'm afraid Remus is feeling rather…ill, and he asked me to take his place for the time being. Now, what are we to do," James asked.

"Now you listen here James Potter: I am here to take Harry and Hermione down to breakfast. Professor Dumbledore told us both to show them around the castle," Lily said, her voice masked with a hint of anger.

"Relax, Evans, I read the note Professor Dumbledore gave you and Remus. And believe me, I'm all for showing them around the castle," James said, walking over to Hermione. "Hermione, I believe it was?"

"Um, yes," Hermione asked, rather than answered, looking from James to Harry.

"I believe it is time we go down and get some breakfast before classes start," he told Hermione and with that, the pair departed the hospital ward.

Lily was fuming; as she seemingly forgot about Harry, she walked after them, hands balled into fists at her sides as Harry overheard her saying, "Oh that Potter! He thinks he's so cool when he's really an arrogant prat!"

Harry smiled to himself, following Lily past the double doors of the hospital, remembering delving into Snape's memories last year…his mum practically hated his dad; it seemed as if one year later, the feeling was still there.

"And that painting over there is about the 'Death-Day Party' the school's ghosts host every year," James was telling Hermione. "And yes, this one here is about a young woman who lost her long-lost love…funnily enough, this painting actually connects with another painting near Gryffindor Tower."

Harry was reminded of a kid in Honeydukes: each painting James and Hermione passed, he would feel the need to explain the story each painting was telling, just like a kid would stop and examine all the different types of candies and flavors Honeydukes provided.

As James was explaining yet another painting to Hermione (this one being a painting of a forest in Albania), Harry mustered up the courage to go and talk to his mother…well, Lily.

"So, what is it about James that you don't like," Harry prodded.

Lily, who seemed to be lost in her own thoughts, turned her head to Harry and said, "James thinks he's so smart and funny when he's really a foul bully. He and those despicable friends of his strut around the halls of Hogwarts acting like they own the place and they pick on random people just for the fun of it!"

Harry decided that Lily was getting worked up over her disgust with James. Harry looked over at his father and noticed how similar their hair was: jet black and messy.

"You know what's interesting though," Lily began, looking over at Harry, "Is how close you and James look alike. You really could be his twin but just in looks…hopefully you share none of his personality traits," Lily finished, her face contorted in revulsion.

"Yeah, Sirius said that last night," Harry replied.

"Oh, have you met Sirius?"

"What? Oh, um, I mean, I think that's what his name was," Harry said, mentally kicking himself for blurting out Sirius' name.

"Has great hair and acts like James' sidekick," Lily suggested, quirking up an eyebrow at Harry who nodded in response. "Yep, that's Sirius for you; another bully who waltzes around these corridors."

Harry inwardly smirked to himself; judging by the fact that Lily seemed completed abhorred by his father, he wondered how in the world they ended up together mere years later.

"Anyway, enough about that Potter. Tell me about yourself. You don't seem to say much…I mean, it's okay to be a little nervous on your first day here," Lily said calmly to him.

"Oh, well, I'm not too nervous, maybe a little. It's just a strange transition being home-schooled and then coming here to Hogwarts. But, even with the short amount of time I've been here, it already feels like home."

Lily beamed as she said, "That's great, Harry! I've felt the same way too about Hogwarts acting like my home. There's something about Hogwarts that feels so warm and welcoming. Back in my real place of residence, it's anything but."

"What do you mean," Harry asked her.

"Well, I'm a Muggleborn, born a witch to two Muggle parents. When I got my letter from Hogwarts, my parents were shocked and went through a brief period of disbelief but they eventually got over it. My sister, however, well, it's safe to say we are not on the best of terms as we barely even talk anymore," Lily replied sadly.

"It seems like she never wanted to come to terms with me being a witch and, I guess you could say we had a falling out," she finished.

"Oh, I'm sorry," Harry said, thinking of nothing else to say to comfort her. Harry had first-hand experience of the hate Lily's sister and Harry's aunt, Petunia, had regarding her witch sister. "I can't really say that things will get better but you could try talking to your sister and try to make amends."

"Believe me, I've tried. She definitely doesn't see me as being a witch; she usually refers to me as a freak. But she also doesn't like one of my closest friends; she thinks he is downright creepy," Lily replied.

"Who's your friend," Harry asked, his curiosity piqued.

"He's actually a student here! I'll make sure to introduce you two later on! His name is Severus Snape!"

Harry stopped dead in his tracks, his eyes bulging. This was a story he had never heard before: his mother, Lily Evans, being close friends with Severus Snape, the foul potions master in Harry's time who seemed to loath breathing in the same air as Harry?

From Snape's memories, all Harry assumed was that Lily had felt bad for Snape after he was attacked by James and Sirius and she stood up for him. The thought of Snape and his mother being friends never crossed his mind.

"He's in Slytherin and I'm not sure if you know what that means; you see, here at Hogwarts, there this sense of a formative rivalry between Gryffindor House and- ," Lily suddenly stopped when she noticed Harry was not walking with her.

She turned her head around and looked over at Harry, worry befalling on her face. "Harry, are you alright?"

Harry's attention snapped back to reality after his mind was racing at the speed of light about his mother's friendship with Snape.

"What? Oh, yeah I'm fine," he replied hastily.

"Do you want to go back to the hospital wing," Lily asked in which Harry shook his head.

"What were you saying about Gryffindor," Harry asked, trying to keep her mind off of him.

"Well, as I was saying, there is this uniform rivalry between Gryffindor and Slytherin. That's why James and Sirius always pick on Severus, mainly because he's a Slytherin but they are not all bad. James and Sirius loathe the dark arts which is an inbred hostility many Slytherin's favor, including Severus."

"But you don't like the dark arts, do you," Harry asked.

Lily shook her head. "Oh no, I detest it actually. Even though Severus studies it, he's never used it against anyone, including James. I think it's just in the nature of a Slytherin to be interested in the dark arts, like Severus is. But in my mind, what separates the evil Slytherin's from those who have a noble spirit is how and when one uses the dark arts."

Harry was perplexed by the notion of his mother to see the good in someone, even a Slytherin like Snape. Harry however though the 'noble spirit' was far lost in his potions master in his own time, concluding Snape had no idea what the term 'noble' even meant.

A few feet head of them, Hermione had suddenly burst out laughing, her shoulders shaking in amusement as James laughed along.

"Well, it seems as if Potter has turned on his charm again," Lily spat out, shooting daggers at James.

"Don't worry, Hermione is my best friend; they're just having a laugh. She won't be pulled in by his 'charms'."

"Can you tell me about Hermione," Lily asked.

"Well, she's also a Muggleborn," Harry started before he was cut off by Lily.

"She is? And why didn't you tell me this sooner," Lily questioned.

In truth, Harry had been completely blindsided by the fact that his mother was on friendly terms with his detested Potions master.

"Um, well, I don't know," Harry replied, his face growing hot. "But, yeah, and she's extremely smart; she's a borderline genius," Harry finished.

Lily smiled over at him. "You seem to be on good terms with her."

Harry was thrown off by Lily's statement: he had never really thought about his friendship with Hermione. It was a friendship that just was. After she lied for both Harry and Ron in their first year about fighting a mountain troll, the trio had been on good conditions.

Of course there was the usual quarrel, mainly between Ron and Hermione during third year. Thinking back, Harry thought that their only true fight had also taken place in third year when Hermione got Harry's broomstick confiscated by Professor McGonagall after she thought it might have been jinxed by Sirius Black.

Other than that though, their friendship had been quite solid and had only grown in strength over the years, especially during their fourth year when Hermione was the only student in all of Hogwarts who believed Harry when he said he did not put his name in the Goblet of Fire.

Although Harry had never thought about this, Hermione truly did mean a lot to him. Of course, Ron also means a lot to Harry and Harry would never trade anything in the world for their friendship.

"Well, Harry, this is the Great Hall," Lily announced, stopping the pair of them under the frame of the colossal double doors. "Here, we have breakfast, lunch, and dinner, along with the start-of-term and end-of-term feasts," Lily said.

"Now, there are four tables here, divided by house: the houses are Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. I see you already have on Gryffindor robes; did Professor Dumbledore sort you and Hermione last night?"

"Oh, yeah, he placed the Sorting Hat on our heads," Harry lied.

"Well, let's get on then," Lily said, leading Harry over to the crowded Gryffindor table. Harry looked over and spotted Hermione sitting next to James and across from Sirius and Remus. However, when Harry looked into Hermione's eyes, he saw both fear and anxiety. He wondered what could possibly have happened to make Hermione so weary.

As Harry walked over to her, he instantly knew what, or in this case, who, was causing the problem: sitting next to his father sat none other than Peter Pettigrew, the rat-of-a-man who would betray both of his parents as their Secret Keeper which eventually led to their deaths at the hands of Voldemort.

Harry instantly and visibly tensed. Seeing this, Hermione excused herself away from James, Sirius, Remus, and Peter, walked over to Harry, grabbed hold of his arm, and steered him from them, sitting them both down farther away.

"Harry, I know what you are thinking but you must keep control," Hermione whispered reverently. "I know that man is foul and heinous for what he did but we mustn't interrupt what is supposed to happen." Although Hermione's voice wavered, her eyes held fierce determination.

"Hermione, that man betrayed my parents. How am I supposed to attend classes with him, knowing in a few years, both my parents will be dead because of him," Harry whispered back harshly.

"Harry, you said so yourself that we must not interrupt time! If you change the outcome in this present, who knows what will become of us in the future! You must keep control," Hermione resisted.

"I don't think I can do that, Hermione. Think about it: if we stop Peter from betraying them, my parents could be alive…they could be happy. I'm not saying that for my own sake; I'm saying it for theirs."

At this, Hermione gave Harry a small smile. "You're always so noble, Harry. You put others before yourself and I admire that; I truly do. But no one knows what could happen if your parents lived. It's too much of a risk, Harry, and I know that you're going to find this upsetting, but we must not alter time," Hermione pleaded.

In his heart of hearts, Harry knew Hermione was right. The risk was too great to undertake to save the lives of his parents. Deep down, Harry was the midst of a dark war; no matter which way he looked at it, he was selfish.

On one hand, Harry couldn't fathom the idea of letting his parents die; after all, they were young when they met their untimely fates. Their world of love was shattered by a man who had little courage. Harry felt as if his parents should have lived long and happy lives, full of both love and wonder of the world around them. Harry also would admit that he wouldn't mind growing up with his parents.

On the other hand, Harry was selfish about the fact of traveling back to his own time and being afraid of what was to be if his parents had indeed lived. Would he be friends with Ron and Hermione? What if his parents' survival created a massive wizard war in which many lives of those were lost in combat? Could he willingly risk the consequences?

Harry felt himself relax as these thoughts swept in his mind. He looked at Hermione and gave her a small, curt nod.

"Just try and keep me away from him," Harry spat out in a vicious whisper.

Hermione, ignoring Harry's undirected cruelty, said, "Harry, everything will work out in the end. We may not see it now but I believe one day, we'll understand everything and why it was meant to be."

Side-by-side, Harry and Hermione started to pile food on their plates, oblivious to the fact that many nearby Gryffindors were talking about the two new students. A rather ominous silence descended between Harry and Hermione as their thoughts were racing miles per minute.

Suddenly, their thoughts were interrupted by Lily, sitting her plate in front of them. Answering the looks on their faces, she smiled and said, "It's rude to leave the two of you alone…after all, you are both new to Hogwarts."

Smiling, the trio continued to eat their breakfast, discussing what the teachers and classes were like as Harry and Hermione were anxious for their day to start.

Well, here is the second completed chapter of "Harry Potter and the Marauder Era!" Chapter 3 is a work-in-progress and will be posted as soon as it is completed! Don't forget to review!


	3. Of Slugs and Gargoyles

Harry Potter and a Marauder Revival

Chapter 3: Of Slugs and Gargoyles

Benches scraped across the stone floor surface of the Great Hall, signaling it was time for the Hogwarts students to attend their classes for the day.

Lily both examined Harry and Hermione's schedule and noticed they all had the same classes together. Excited, Lily jumped to her feet, followed by Harry and Hermione, and the trio took off towards the dungeons where they would have their first Potions lesson in the year 1976.

"I should warn the both of you, Professor Slughorn likes to play favorites," Lily said, walking with Harry and Hermione. "If you have strong blood-ties, or if you know or are related to important people, or even if you show strong intellect, he'll try and collect you for his 'Slug Club,'" Lily continued.

"Slug club," Harry asked, "What is that?"

"It's a social gathering in which Professor Slughorn invites elite ministry officials for his students to mingle with; it's quite boring really, but at least he's trying to set us up for a certain careers, even if he expects goodies in return," Lily replied, rolling her eyes.

"Isn't it unfair to other students that Professor Slughorn picks favorites," Hermione asked, looking over at Lily, her brows furrowed together. "I mean, it's totally unjust."

Lily smiled over at Hermione, saying, "You're absolutely right but I'm afraid that is just who Professor Slughorn is."

The trio joined the queue outside, waiting for Professor Slughorn to welcome them into the Potions classroom. Behind them, James, Sirius, Remus, and Peter laughed loudly, causing Harry and Hermione to turn around to look at them while Lily huffed audibly.

"Hey, Harry, come over here will you," James asked, eyeing Harry. Harry looked over at Hermione who shrugged her shoulders in response as he made his way over to his father and his friends.

"Why are you hanging around Evans for," James asked, quirking up an eyebrow.

"Well, Lily wants Hermione and I to get comfortable with Hogwarts so she is going to show us around for a few days," Harry replied.

"Harry, did you forget that Evans isn't the only prefect of Gryffindor House," Sirius asked, eyeing Harry with mistrust.

Harry grew uncomfortable with the way Sirius was looking at him. Ever since meeting his godfather of his own era, Sirius has shown him nothing but kindness and love; however, in this time, Sirius seemed as if he was wary of people he didn't know.

"Well, I think Lily said earlier that Remus was prefect," Harry said awkwardly, feeling his face burn, "But I haven't really met him."

"Sure you have," James called out, turning to look at Remus. "Don't you remember? You met him last night."

Remus smiled kindly over at Harry as Harry asked, "So then I take it you're feeling better?"

Suddenly, everyone but Remus and Harry started sniggering. "Well, Harry, I'm sorry I was unable to attend to you earlier this morning as my friends made it nearly impossible for me to leave my dormitory in time," Remus said, stressing the words 'friends.'

"What do you mean," Harry asked, confused.

"Well, James here, is interested in you and her," Sirius replied, a smirk sprawling over his face, looking first at Harry then over his shoulder at Hermione.

"So? I can't be curious about two new students," James asked in self-defense.

"Oh sure, it's curiosity you got, is it," Sirius shot back.

Suddenly, a small, squeaky voice piped in, "I think it's understandable to be interested in the two new arrivals." Harry looked around and saw that the voice belonged to Peter.

"Whatever, Peter," Sirius replied, waving his hand absentmindedly. Just then, the Potions doors opened and out walked an extremely plump man with a walrus-like mustache coating his top lip.

"Welcome, welcome sixth years…well come on then, let's not waste our precious class time dawdling outside," Professor Slughorn called out.

The Gryffindors and Ravenclaws filed inside the Potions classroom. Inside, Harry spotted Lily and Hermione sharing a table as Hermione waved Harry over. He took a seat next to Hermione while James, Sirius, Remus, and Peter sat at their own table.

"Now, before we begin, I would personally like to extend a welcoming hand to our new students, Miss Granger and Mr. Harry for joining us this year." Heads turned to look at both Harry and Hermione in which the students turned a light shade of red at all of the extra attention.

"Today, class, I wanted to first talk about the potion you are all to brew today. The Draught of Peace is a potion which, when brewed correctly, relieves anxiety and unease. Now, who here can tell me the ingredients for this potion?"

Instantly, both Hermione and Lily's hands shot in the air. Quiet murmuring overtook the room, as even Professor Slughorn himself seemed slightly taken aback. Lily, too, looked over at Hermione but with a warm smile on her face.

"Very well, then, Miss Granger," Professor Slughorn called out.

"The Draught of Peace has the known ingredients of powdered moonstone, syrup of hellebore, powered porcupine quills, and powdered unicorn horn. The potion is a difficult potion to correctly brew as if one adds too much of one ingredient, the drinker of the potion could be put either into a deep sleep or an irreversible sleep," Hermione recited in a single breath.

Silence ensued and Harry momentarily wondered if something was wrong. It was then that Harry noticed everyone was staring at Hermione.

"Uh, well, um, very, Granger, good," sputtered Professor Slughorn. "Excuse me, I mean, very well done Miss Granger, take ten points for Gryffindor. Now, who here can tell me the characteristics of the potion when brewed correctly?"

Again, the hands of both Hermione and Lily shot into the air at the exact same time in which Professor Slughorn beamed.

"As you took the first question Miss Granger, let's give this one over to Miss Evans," Professor Slughorn said, smiling over at Hermione.

"When brewed properly, the Draught of Peace emits a light, silver vapor," Lily said.

"Excellent, take another ten points to Gryffindor! Now, I must warn you all that the difficulty level for this potion is advanced so don't be too downcast if you cannot brew it correctly today," Professor Slughorn continued. "We have an hour and a quarter of time that is left to us, so let me see how far you all can get. The directions for the Draught of Peace can be found on page forty-seven of your Potions book. You may begin!"

There was a loud barrage of noise as the Gryffindors and Ravenclaws started opening their bags, taking out their books and potions scales, while others rushed off to the classroom cupboards to collect the correct ingredients.

However, Harry and Hermione then realized they did not have the Potions textbook. Lily, assessing the scene, said, "Oh, right! I'll be right back!" With that, she dashed off to Professor Slughorn's desk.

Harry turned to Hermione and said, "It looks like you and Lily will be competing to answer all of our professor's questions this year. You could be the next addition to the Slug Club."

Hermione sighed loudly and said, "Honestly, I could care less about being part of that silly club. I mean, I think it's completely inequitable for a professor to show favoritism."

Out of the corner of his eye, Harry saw Lily walk back towards their table with Professor Slughorn.

"Hello Miss Granger and Mr. Harry; forgive me for not noticing before but Lily just reminded me that since you two just started today, you have not had time to collect books for your classes. In that case, I will provide you two with the required Potions book for my class," Professor Slughorn said, handing a book to Harry then Hermione.

Smiling, Professor Slughorn turned around then stopped suddenly. Turning back towards their table, Professor Slughorn eyed Hermione and said, "You know Miss Granger, I must say I am greatly impressed by your knowledge of Potions. Usually, I have a small group of students that meet with me about once a month; I invite some connections I have within the ministry itself…you know, it's never too early to start thinking about your careers, bright as they are most definitely to be! What do you say, Miss Granger, joining me and a handful of other students…it's quite the social affair!"

Hermione squirmed under the gaze of Professor Slughorn as Harry smirked to himself; Lily had a pained expression on her face while awaiting Hermione's answer.

"Professor, that sounds most fun," Hermione agreed, nodding her head once, her voice laced with fake humor.

Professor Slughorn, however, did not seem to pick up Hermione's sarcasm and said, "Excellent! Just look for my monthly letters! Also, Miss Evans here is also part of my elite club, as well." With that, Professor Slughorn disappeared from their table and walked back over to his desk.

Once out of earshot, Hermione groaned, flipping through her Potions book to find the instructions for the Draught of Peace.

"That was really well done, Hermione," Harry said, a smile creeping up his face. However, his smile quickly disappeared once he saw the threatening look Hermione shot at him as Lily laughed to herself.

The remaining class time was used for the Gryffindors and Ravenclaws trying to correctly brew the Draught of Peace. However, Harry quickly grew irritated as he found the instructions extremely difficult to interpret.

As Harry waited for potion to turn purple per the instructions, a small explosion rocked the classroom. Looking over at his father's table, he saw green slime had covered itself around Peter, much to Harry's delight.

Both James and Sirius had doubled over in hysterics as Remus took out his wand and was clearing the slime off of Peter. Lily rolled her eyes as Hermione seemed to pay them no attention.

"Hey, Evans, need a hand," James called out from his table. Lily turned and gave him a disgusted look.

"Like I need any help from you, Potter," she said, turning her focus back on her cauldron. Harry looked back and forth at James and Lily, wondering yet again how on earth they ended up in love with one another.

"Harry, you're only supposed to stir the potion until it turns red," Hermione suddenly said, altering Harry back to his potion; his mixture had unfortunately turned into a shade of magenta.

"Right," Harry said, looking at the next line of instructions.

Some time later, Professor Slughorn called out, "Time is up! Everyone, put your iteration of the Draught of Peace in a vial, label it clearly, and leave it on my desk for grading."

Harry and Hermione did as they were told. As they were placing their vials on Professor Slughorn's desk, he gave Hermione a wide smile and said, "Remember what I said, Miss Granger, about the Slug Club."

"Certainly, professor," she said with a fake smile. She and Harry grabbed their belongings and filed out of the Potions class with Lily, headed for the greenhouses.

"Well, that wasn't as bad as I thought," Lily said, turning to Harry and Hermione. "What did you guys think?"

"I have to agree that it wasn't as difficult as I had originally thought. But on the last step, I might've added too many porcupine quills because my potion turned to an off-white," Hermione replied, with a look of worry on her face.

"An 'off-white'? Hermione, I'm sure you did just fine," Harry said, inwardly rolling his eyes at Hermione's lack of initial confidence. "Don't worry about it," he finished. He looked over at Lily who had a knowing smile upon her face which made Harry feel slightly uneasy.

Entering the greenhouses, Harry and Hermione saw another familiar professor from their time: Professor Sprout.

"Welcome sixth years to another lesson in Herbology! Today, we will be tackling the Venomous Tentacula. Now, who can tell me what the Venomous Tentacula is?"

Hermione and Lily's hands shot into the air instantly.  
"Ah, Miss Granger, I believe it is," Professor Sprout asked, her eyebrows raised.

"Yes, professor. The Venomous Tentacula is a spiky, toothsome plant the can grab living prey through the use of its vines. It also can shoot out venom with its bite being both poisonous and fatal."

"Excellent! Ten points to Gryffindor," Professor Sprout replied. "Now, I want each of you to team up with person standing next to you. Your task for today's lesson is to extract five seeds from the heart of the Venomous Tentacula using the gloves provided. But be warned, the plant will fight back so be very careful," Professor Sprout said, looking over at James and Sirius. "Now, get to it!"

Lily turned to Harry and said, "Well, I guess it looks like you and I are partners, Harry." Harry nodded over at her as next to him, James turned to Hermione.

The Venomous Tentacula was indeed an extremely vicious plant. Once Harry and Lily decided to try to extract the first seed, the vines of plant swung violently about, smacking both Harry and Lily across their faces.

"Ugh, these plants are atrocious," Lily said, as several of the plant's vines closed in around her arm as she reached inside the plant. With difficulty, she retraced her arm out of the plant and placed the seed she captured on a side dish.

As Lily prepared to once again place her arm inside the plant, Harry intervened and said, "Let me try."

Lily, looking relieved she did not have to wrestle with the vines of the plant, said, "Oh, thank you, Harry."

As the vines wrapped itself around Harry's arm, he chanced a look next to him at James and Hermione.

"James, really, you don't have to get all of the seeds yourself," Hermione said, looking over at James who had seemingly refused to let Hermione place her arm inside the plant.

"Really, Hermione, it's no bother," Harry overheard James say, "There's no need for you to risk any injury."

Harry heard Lily scoff; when he looked at her, he saw her looking over at James, shaking her head in exasperation.

"What's wrong," Harry asked her.

"It's that Potter. He's just showing off to Hermione," Lily explained. "Well, it's a good thing she seems immune to his pathetic attempt at showing off. How long have you liked her, Harry?"

Thrown off by Lily's question, Harry forcefully banged into the table holding all of the plants in which the table collapsed, forcing down to the ground everyone who was trapped in the plant's vicious grasps.

A couple of girls screamed out in panic, as Professor Sprout screamed out, "Don't be alarmed!" With a wave of her wand, the table was hoisted back up to its original position.

"Oh, sorry about that, Harry," Lily coerced.

"Don't worry about it," he replied. "But, I don't like Hermione like that," Harry said, making sure Hermione would not be able to overhear him; he saw that James had relented into Hermione as her arm was now tangled with the vines of the plant.

"Hermione and I are just friends," Harry stated. "I mean, she is my best friend and all but I just don't like her like that," he finished, feeling his face grow extremely hot.

"I just see the way you look at her and I thought there was something more," Lily explained, looking at the plant's vines that were wrapped tightly around Harry's arm.

"Wow! Great job, Hermione," James called out. Harry and Lily looked over at the pair of them and noticed Hermione had managed to grab two seeds at once. She smiled appreciatively at James who huffed deeply and stuck his arm into the plant yet again.

After tugging and fighting with the vines of the Venomous Tentacula, Harry finally grabbed hold of another seed and placed in on the side dish.

For the next half hour, the Gryffindors and the Hufflepuffs waged war with the Venomous Tentacula's, with many students sweating profusely, their breathing ragged, with cuts and scrapes on their faces and exposed arms.

As the bell rang loudly about, echoing off the glass walls of the greenhouse, many students sighed in relief. Harry turned to walk with Hermione back to the Great Hall for lunch but he saw James was already in deep discussion with her. Slightly annoyed, Harry decided to walk over to the Great Hall with Lily.

Settling themselves down at the table, Harry took a place next to Hermione while Lily surprised James, Sirius, Remus, and Peter by sitting next to them.

"Well, well, well, it looks like Evans has decided to graciously give us her presence," James said, smiling broadly. Without a word, Lily picked up her plate and moved farther down the table.

As James and Sirius sniggered, Hermione asked, "Why are you like that to her, James?"

Taken aback, James turned to Hermione and asked, "What do you mean, Hermione?"

"I mean, you seem rude to her. I don't think she did anything to you, did she?"

"Well, not really, but- ,"

"Then why do you always seem to taunt her," Hermione asked in reply, quirking up any eyebrow.

"Well, I don't really see how anything of the matter would concern you, Hermione," James replied, his voice laced with a hint of annoyance.

"I know it doesn't; I just thought sixth-year Gryffindors would have matured, but at any rate…"

"Why do you care? You never asked me about it before," James countered.

Hermione gave him an annoyed look and said, "James, I've known the two of you for not even a whole day! But in that time, I've seen how you act towards her."

"And my acting towards Evans bothers you?"

"Well, it sure isn't funny like you seem to think so."

"Then why do you even care to sit with us," he said.

Hermione visibly tensed and said through gritted teeth, "Excuse me, Mr. Potter, for not sharing in your bleak sense of humor." With that, Hermione grabbed her own plate and stalked away; Harry saw her sit next to Lily.

Bewildered by the brief confrontation, Harry ate his lunch in silence as James brooded for the rest of the time.

Taking advantage of the uncomfortable silence, Remus asked, "So Harry, how do you like the classes so far?"

Taken off guard, Harry momentarily choked on his pumpkin juice as James smacked Harry across the back to keep him from choking.

"It's great, yeah," Harry said, his eyes watering.

Remus smiled and said, "Just wait…after lunch, we have Transfiguration with Professor McGonagall and the Slytherins."

"Oh that should be a joy," Sirius said sarcastically. "After all, there's nothing more fun than turning a Slytherin into a one-eyed gargoyle."

Harry laughed at Sirius' comment and said, "They can't all be that bad, can they." Harry was thinking over what his mum had said earlier about Severus.

"Yeah, sure, just wait until you get a look at Snivellus, that awful Slytherin bat," Sirius replied bitterly. "Anyway, we should get going. Are you alright, James?"

Harry looked over at his father and noticed how quiet he was since Hermione had left. "Yeah, yeah, I'm fine. Come on, Harry, let's go."

Getting up from the table, they walked past Lily and Hermione as James made the effort to ignore the pair of them. Harry looked back at Hermione and saw her look over at him; she smiled and he smiled back. She then turned back and her and Lily started chatting away excitedly.

Harry walked with James out of the Great Hall and made their way up the staircase to their Transfiguration lesson.

Well, here is the third chapter to "Harry and a Marauder Revival!" Thank you to everyone who has reviewed thus far! I have made the correction to chapter 1 that the reviews mentioned so a big "thank you" for that! Chapter 4 is a work-in-progress and will be posted late Tuesday night! Don't forget to review!


	4. Moonlight Secrets

Harry Potter and a Marauder Revival

Chapter 4: Moonlight Secrets

Entering into their Transfiguration classroom, Harry was momentarily taken off guard as he eyed Professor McGonagall. Although Harry had seen her the night he arrived in 1976, he did not get a chance to look at her properly as he was too bewildered that he was somehow transported two decades into the past.

Looking now at Professor McGonagall, Harry saw her hair was a much darker brown (rather than the many grey streaks she had in her hair in Harry's own time) pulled into a tight bun as her emerald, green robes, swished softly at her feet.

Harry took a seat next to Remus while James and Sirius sat together next to them; Peter took a seat with another fellow Gryffindor behind James. Harry then saw both Lily and Hermione walk up and sit at the front of the classroom still deep in conversation; Harry heard James give another huff as he eyed the pair of them.

Once everyone had taken their seats, Professor McGonagall spoke, saying, "Now, for this lesson, we are going to pick up where we left off last time, that is the Vanishing Spell. Remember the incantation for the spell is _EVANESCO_. You will all be given first spare quills which you will practice on, then we will move on to vanishing animals." With a wave of her wand, three spare quills appeared in front of the Gryffindors and Slytherins. "Off you go, then!"

Loud cries of _"EVANESCO"_ suddenly filled the Transfiguration classroom as the students tried with all of their might vanishing their spare quills.

Harry pointed his wand at one of the quills, concentrated on vanishing the object, and said firmly, " _EVANESCO_!" However, nothing happened. Harry tried again and got the same result.

His eyes wandered leftward and saw that Remus too was having some trouble vanishing his own quills. Harry looked to the front of the classroom and saw, not to his surprise, Hermione had successfully vanished all of the quills already; Lily had one more quill left.

He turned his eyes next to Lily and felt his stomach roll over uncomfortably: sitting next to his mother sat none other than Severus Snape. Harry's blood boiled, remembering how awful Snape had treated him during their short-lived Occlumency lessons the previous year.

Harry then looked over at James and Sirius and saw them whispering to one another, chancing glances over towards Snape. He saw James look over at Professor McGonagall (who was watching a pair of Slytherins practicing the spell) then direct his wand over at Snape.

Harry saw rather heard James whisper _"EVANESCO"_ over towards Snape; the spell vanished Snape's Transfiguration textbook immediately. Snape whipped around and his eyes locked with James, a dark shadow crossing over both of their facial features. For a moment, Harry thought Snape was going to start flinging hexes and cruses of his own over at James and Sirius (both of whom were laughing at their latest act) but instead, he sneered, turned back around and continued practicing the vanishing spell.

"I know what you're thinking, Harry," Remus suddenly said, eyeing Harry warily. "But don't be too quick to judge James and Sirius. James and Snape loathed one another from the instant they first met…Snape actually tried to get both James and Sirius expelled our previous year. Their rivalry can be defined as a continuum that has no limits or parameters…an infinite enmity."

"I wasn't thinking anything bad, I actually thought that was hilarious," Harry told Remus, smirking.

"You did?"

Harry nodded his head in response.

"And what do you have against Snape, Harry?"

Harry thought about how to answer this. He slowly responded, "Lily told me Snape is interested in the dark arts and the dark arts are something that rips people and families apart."

"Are you sure you're not related to James in any way? You look like him exactly aside from your eyes and the scar on your forehead and you seem to have the same beliefs."

Harry laughed once, unsure of how to respond to Remus's statement.

"By the way, how did you get that scar on your forehead? I've never seen a scar shaped like a lightning-bolt before?"

"Oh, there was an accident when I was younger; a piece of glass of some sort," Harry replied, shortly, uncomfortable with the direction the conversation was going. Remus seemed to believe his story as he merely nodded his head once.

"Okay, settle down; we will now turn to a much more difficult form of vanishing as we will now begin to vanish living animals, in this case, mice. I want you all to do exactly what you did with the spare quills: simply point your wand at your mouse and say _'EVANESCO.'_ " With another wave of her wand, a mouse appeared in front of every student. "On you go, then."

Harry, not having accomplished vanishing his three spare quills thought it was going to be nearly impossible for him to vanish an entire mouse; soon after trying the spell three different times, he was right. The most Harry did was shift his mouse he was practicing on to the right about four feet.

Remus too seemed to have some trouble vanishing the mouse he was practicing with mainly because the mouse was trying desperately to escape from him.

Over at the desk next to theirs, James pointed his wand at his mouse and said " _EVANESCO!"_ However, the only thing that happened was that his mouse turned completely yellow.

James scowled over at Sirius as he burst out laughing at James' ineptitude to vanish his mouse. "Fine then, Sirius, let me see you try," James said savagely.

Sirius, who seemed unable to control his laughter, pointed his wand (though Harry noted his hand was shaking viciously) and he managed to say between gales of laughter, " _EVANESCO!"_

Since his hand was shaking so much, his wand missed its target and instead vanished the chair of a Slytherin boy in front him; Sirius burst into more laughter as the Slytherin fell on the stone floor in a heap, throwing Sirius a dirty look over his shoulder.

"Mr. Black, what is the meaning of this, five points from Gryffindor," Professor McGonagall said, storming over to James and Sirius.

"Pardon me, professor," Sirius said, still laughing, as tears poured down his face. "It's just that- it's just that- ,"

"Never mind him, professor, he seems to have swallowed a laughing potion earlier in Potions," James reprimanded.

"Well then, Mr. Potter, make some sort of means to control him and his foolish behavior," Professor McGonagall said, stalking away.

Harry saw Remus roll his eyes and say to Harry, "Those two really have no self-control over their behavior sometimes."

Harry laughed quietly to himself, remembering how Sirius and Remus told stories of themselves along with his father and Peter and their times within the castle walls of Hogwarts. Harry once again looked towards the front of the classroom and noticed Hermione had successfully managed to completely vanish her mouse as she was now talking with Professor McGonagall.

Harry looked over at Lily and saw that she too was able to vanish her mouse. However, what he saw next made his stomach clench: Lily was talking with Snape. Anger started to bubble in the pit of Harry's stomach seeing the two of them talking with one another.

The Hogwarts bell rang loudly, startling everyone in the classroom. "For those of you unable to vanish either your quills or your mouse, practice for homework," Professor McGonagall called out as the Gryffindors and Slytherins nosily packed up their bags and departed from the classroom.

As Harry made his way outside in the corridor, he heard Lily call out, "Harry, wait up!"

Harry turned to see Lily coming up to him, a smile on her face. "I would like to introduce you to someone, Harry. This is one of my best friends, Severus Snape."

Lily moved aside and Harry was instantly transported to the teenage Snape he saw in the pensive his previous year. Snape's oily, black hair was shoulder length as his hook nose was framed against his pale face.

When Snape eyed Harry, his eyes shifted from awkwardness to malevolence. "This is Harry, Lily? He looks just like that git, Potter!"

"I know, Severus, but trust me, Harry is nothing like James," Lily conceded, looking over at Snape with a strong-willed hope in her eyes.

"Well then, um, how do you do," Snape asked Harry, his gaze still speaking volumes of mistrust.

"Er, fine," Harry mumbled awkwardly. He was silently willing for someone to come rescue him as an uncomfortable silence had befallen the group.

Harry then saw Hermione stalk up to him and he smiled widely. "Um, got to go, Hermione and I have some studying to do," Harry said quickly. Hermione turned at the sound of her name, smiled over at Lily and even gave a small smile to Snape as she and Harry departed.

"Thank you for saving me," Harry said to her once they were far enough away from Snape and Lily.

"I didn't rescue you, Harry; I just happened to walk the way you, Professor Snape, and Lily were talking," Hermione replied.

"Hermione, he's not 'professor;' he's just Snape," Harry corrected her.

"Oh, shoot, you're right. I forgot about that. You know before, Lily and I was talking about Remus and I almost called him Professor Lupin," Hermione said, her cheeks flaring a light shade of red at her near hiccup. "But, Harry, do you know what tonight is?"

Harry racked his brain, trying to think of anything however his mind was blank. "No, what is tonight, Hermione?"  
"Harry, tonight is the full moon. You know, Professor, I mean, Remus, is going to transform tonight. Didn't you say that James, Sirius, and Peter also have become unregistered animagi?"

Harry then remembered about his father and his father's friends transformations. "You're right, Hermione…I completely forgot about that! But why are you telling me this?"

"Well, I have a plan, Harry, although, I don't know if you are going to like it."

That night, Harry and Hermione sat in the Gryffindor common room, Hermione reading her potions book while Harry was practicing the vanishing spell on a spare piece of parchment.

"Hermione, are you sure about this," Harry asked, not completely convinced of Hermione's plan.

Hermione put down her potions book and replied, "Harry, we're doing this for Remus."

"So your plan is to sneak out tonight after James, Sirius, and Peter, follow them to the Whomping Willow, trick James into telling us about Remus' werewolf transformation just so you can brew him the…what's it called again," Harry asked.

"The Wolfsbane Potion, Harry. It is supposed to prevent werewolves from losing their minds after they transform," Hermione answered Harry's unasked question. "Professor Snape brewed it regularly for Professor Lupin third year."

"And remind me why are we doing this?"

"Because, Harry, Professor Lupin is the best Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher we ever had. Also, he's one of your father's best friends and he just is an all around good guy." Harry nodded once, still unsure of how Hermione was going to convince James to tell them about Remus.

"Of course, you don't have to come along; I can sneak out by myself, you know," Hermione added.

"No way, I'm still coming. I'm just concerned is all."

"Concerned about what, exactly," Hermione asked, one of her eyebrows was quirked upwards.

"Well, after seeing what happened between you and James," Harry answered, not looking at Hermione.

"Nothing happened between James and myself, Harry, what are you talking about?"

"No, I mean at lunch, when you and James started arguing about how he treated Lily," Harry explained, still trying profusely to vanish his spare piece of parchment, although he was still unsuccessful.

"Well, I wouldn't really call it an argument so much so than a disagreement, Harry, but James has to be part of this in order for this plan to work."

"Why not Sirius or Peter," Harry questioned, giving up the vanishing spell and looking directly at Hermione.

"First of all, Peter? I don't think that would work at all. Second of all, Sirius seems like he doesn't like the two of us, or maybe he's just cautious around us, so I don't think that would work either."

"It's strange, actually, because I'm so used to Sirius and Remus refering to each other by their Marauder names yet I haven't heard them call each other by their names once so far," Harry said.

Hermione nodded as she sighed quietly and suggested, "Maybe they call each other their own Marauder names when they're just alone; they don't want other people to know about it?"

"Maybe," Harry muttered, directing his gaze at the fire. "Anyway, it's getting late; I think I should go up there."

Hermione nodded her head, and said, "Well, I guess I'll see you soon then, Harry." Harry nodded once at Hermione and he took off up the stairs to his dormitory he would be sharing with James, Sirius, Remus, and Peter for the remainder of his time in 1976.

Harry climbed in between his covers and listened to the soft breathing of his fellow dorm mates. Harry, however, could not fall asleep; not if he wanted Hermione's plan to work. After all, she did have good intentions.

As Harry tried hard to stay awake, he slowly felt his eyelids flutter down. His mind wandered suddenly when he was instantly woken up: he saw three figures quietly depart from his dormitory; Harry suddenly realized it was time.

As he waited for the occupants to file out, Harry took out his wand and threw his covers off of him. Harry slowly opened his dormitory door, wincing as it squeaked slightly. Harry crept down the steps and into the common room he and Hermione had sat in about an hour before, discussing their plan.

Harry looked around for Hermione and spotted her sitting in an armchair next to a window; Harry walked over to her and saw her eyes were closed. "Hermione? Are you awake?" Harry shook her shoulder slightly as she mumbled something incoherently. Harry again shook her shoulder with slightly more vigor, and Hermione's eyes fluttered open.

"Harry, what time is it," she asked suddenly.  
Harry looked as his watch and said, "About twelve thirty; I overslept; sorry about that."

"Yeah, I figured: when I heard James, Sirius, and Peter all come down earlier I had only a moment's notice to hide behind this armchair. I didn't see Remus, though, Harry."

"I think he might already be at the Whomping Willow. Come on, we have to hurry," Harry said. Without thinking, Harry grabbed Hermione's hand and the pair darted out of the Gryffindor common room and fled down the long and eerie corridors of the night castle. Their hurried footsteps echoed loudly off the stone floor and walls as they ran towards the slightly ajar oak front doors of the castle.

"Harry, why would these doors be open," Hermione asked.

"Because Remus, James, Sirius, and Peter have already made it outside," Harry explained.

"No, I mean why would the front doors already be unlocked? Surely, the professors would lock the doors at night, wouldn't they," Hermione asked, trepidation seeping through her voice.

"I don't know but if we don't get a move on, we're going to miss our chance," Harry said hurriedly. The pair fled down the stone steps of the castle, knowing James, Sirius, and Peter would all be under James' invisibility cloak.

Harry and Hermione ran off in the dark, the grass crunching beneath their feet. They ran up towards the Quidditch pitch, the towers of the small stadium thundered against the millions of stars framed against the black, cloudless sky.

A small chill settled in the air as Harry and Hermione skirted around the pitch and fixed their gaze upon the Whoming Willow.

Harry saw three dark figures standing near the Whomping Willow. He noticed the messy hair of one of the figures and deduced it was his father, standing with Sirius and Peter. The three forms of the students were black shadows against the bright moon that hung against the dark sky. Suddenly, Peter's figure shrunk as Harry and Hermione knew he had transformed into a rat.

Once James and Sirius had taken steps closer to the tree, the Whomping Willow sprang to life, its branches flinging wildly into the night sky. As Sirius transformed into a dog, Peter's rat form ran up to the bark of the tree and pressed a knot at the base of the tree. When he did, the branches of the Whomping Willow instantly stilled.

James then walked closer to the tree as Harry wondered why his father hadn't transformed into his stag animagus yet. Just as Hermione had predicted, James seemed to will both Peter and Sirius to go in before him.

As Sirius' tail disappeared, James started to make his way under the tree's roots, Hermione took out her wand and fired a shower of red sparks near James. James quickly took out his own wand and pointed it in the darkness.

Hermione ran out from behind the Quidditch pitch and over to James with Harry quickly following behind her.

"James, what are you doing," Hermione asked innocently.

"Was that you that just shot that shower of red sparks at me," James asked as Harry sensed anger building up within his father.

"Well, Harry and I couldn't see you properly; all we saw was a shadow; we didn't know it was you," she explained.

"Well, it was me. What are you two doing up anyway," James asked irritably.

"We could ask you the same thing," Hermione countered.

"Are you always so condescending? First, you attack me over my relationship with Evans, now you seem to be following me- ,"

"Excuse me, but 'following you'? Why on earth would I do such a thing," Hermione interrupted.

"Well, you certainly haven't explained what you're doing so late out of the castle at night," James retorted.

"Neither have you," Hermione shot back.

The two glared at one another as Harry intervened by saying, "Hermione and I are trying to get used to Hogwarts, that's all."

"And you get used to Hogwarts by roaming about late at night," James asked, his eyebrow quirked upward.

"We were homeschooled, James. We're not used to taking classes in such a huge place," Harry explained, noting how strange it was to call his father by his first name.

James looked uncertainly from Harry to Hermione. "Are you two a couple," he asked finally.

Harry felt his face grow very hot as he noticed Hermione's eyebrows shot up into her hairline. "What on earth does that have to do with anything," she asked.

"Well, I know many couples take late night strolls on the Hogwarts grounds," James explained, looking directly at Hermione.

"We just needed some fresh air; some time to think about our transition," Hermione explained. James sighed deeply, looking down at the base of the Whomping Willow.

Hermione noticed this and said, "James, I'm really sorry about before. I didn't mean to intervene on how you treated Lily but it just felt wrong at the time so I thought I should say something to you about it."

James looked surprised at Hermione's apology. He looked directly at her as if assessing if her apology was true or not.

After a full few moments of complete silence between the three students, James suddenly said, "It's alright, Hermione. I just, I don't know how to explain it; it's confusing is all," he finished lamely.

"Well then, what are you doing by this tree," she asked.

James looked uncertain for a moment as he looked from Hermione to Harry.

"Maybe we can help with whatever it is that is going on," Hermione suggested.

James took another deep breath and replied, "I just can't tell you." Harry thought this didn't really matter as he and Hermione knew what was already going on but they needed James to tell them as they were not supposed to know about Remus.

Suddenly, a howl was heard off in the distance. Hermione, taken off guard by the sudden noise, wrapped her hands viciously around Harry's left arm.

As Harry was beginning to lose feeling in his arm, Hermione looked over at James and asked softly, "Was that a werewolf?"

James looked directly at Hermione, his eyes burning with conflicting emotions as he slowly nodded his head, as if it was paining him to do so.

Well, here is the fourth chapter to "Harry Potter and a Marauder Revival!" Thank you all so much for your reviews (both good and bad)! I wish I could answer some questions you have posted in your reviews but some of your questions will be answered in future chapters so try and be patient! Chapter five is a work in progress and will be posted Friday night! Don't forget to review Chapter 4!


	5. A Ripple Effect

Harry Potter and a Marauder Revival

Chapter 5: A Ripple Effect

Harry looked directly at James who in turn was looking at Hermione; assessing James' fearful face, he concluded Hermione had made an assumption.

"Look, Hermione, I know what you might be thinking but it isn't true," James stated, his breathing becoming uneven.

"But, I haven't said anything yet," Hermione replied, causing James to turn a deep shade of red and causing him to look again at the base of the Whomping Willow.

"Where are Sirius, Remus, and Peter," Harry asked, trying to keep the conversation flowing.

James nervously shifted his feet in the grass, looking uncomfortable. "They are…around, you know," he replied, not looking at either Harry or Hermione directly in the eye.

"James, I don't know much about what is going on now but it's not hard to understand that something is bothering you," Hermione said.

James gave a loud and deep sigh. Staring at the dew starting to form on the grass in the cool, brisk, early morning of the Hogwarts grounds, James said, "There are things that I'm sworn to secrecy…things that can be explained but it's not my place to tell."

Harry and Hermione glanced at one another, unspoken words shared between the two of them.

"James, Hermione and I saw Peter and Sirius shape-shift," Harry said, causing James' head to whip up in their direction.

"But Remus wasn't with you and I think you know that Harry and I can assume he's an animagi," Hermione asked, carefully watching James' expression.

In response, James replied, "Something like that."

This time, another howl was heard off in the distance; at the noise, James was clearly becoming hesitant.

"James, if I were to ask you if Remus was a werewolf, how would you respond," Hermione asked.

James looked at her intently but did not give any reaction whatsoever; instead, he kept staring at Hermione.

"Like Harry said, we saw Peter transform into a rat and Sirius transform into a dog and we watched them disappear under this tree with you about to follow them. It's not hard to deduce that Remus can also transform though we didn't see him tonight," Hermione concluded.

"Well, I must say you are extremely perceptive; nearly as much as Evans," James replied, a hint of admiration hidden in his hazel eyes. "What I'm about to tell you cannot be spoken at any time between the two of you," James suddenly said, his expression changing to one of pure determination.

Harry and Hermione nodded in response, knowing what is to come. Harry looked at his father and saw a depth of willingness and understanding within him…something that made him and his mum defy Voldemort on three separate occasions.

"What Hermione says is true; Remus can transform but not in the way you think he can. You see, Remus is a werewolf."

At this confirmation, Hermione gasped loudly in shock. Harry wondered why on earth Hermione had reacted like this being as she was the only one of the students that uncovered his secret that he was a werewolf back in their third year.

"But that still doesn't explain why you are all out this late at night," Hermione continued.

"You see, Remus' transformation is not a transformation he can willingly do," James continued, now fixing his gaze on the full moon that hung like a giant, white orb in the sky, framed behind the tangled branches of the Whomping Willow.

"So he was bitten," Hermione asked, her voice quiet.

"Yes, by that foul werewolf, Greyback," James said, his voice bitter. At this, Hermione gasped in shock again, though this time, it was from genuine surprise. Even Harry's face was alight with distress as the pair of them did now know why Remus was a werewolf.

"Anyway, Professor Dumbledore knows about Remus' condition so in turn, he created a secret place for Remus to be able to transform which is why Sirius, Peter, and I are out here tonight.

"Ways away from Hogwarts, there's a village called Hogesmade Village. Situated on the outskirts of the town, there lays a structure called the Shrieking Shack. This passageway here from this tree leads straight to the shack. Every night of the full moon, Remus goes there in order to keep himself from harming anyone else while he is a werewolf.

"Sirius, Peter, and I learned of his secret in second year and, as friends, we wanted to help him in his werewolf state. So last year, we all became animagi and we accompany Remus to the shack in our animagi form," James finished.

"And you registered your animagi forms with the Ministry of Magic," Hermione asked. James turned another deep shade of red.

"Well, no, not really," he replied.

"But that's illegal."

"It is, but for the time being, Professor Dumbledore knows about us being unregistered animagi. He is the one who planted this tree, the Whomping Willow, here. He is also the one that leaves the front entrance of Hogwarts unlocked so we can accompany Remus."

"He leaves the front doors unlocked," Hermione asked, her face reflecting sincere disbelief. "But isn't that dangerous, especially in times like these where Voldemort is wreaking havoc upon the wizarding community?"

"Well -, hang on…did you just say 'Voldemort'," James asked.

Now Hermione turned a deep shade of red. Harry looked over at her and was reminded of their first night here, when Hermione had said 'Voldemort's' name, surprising Professor Dumbledore.

"I've haven't heard many people say his name," James replied, once again looking at Hermione with wonder.

"Yes, well, we can't be afraid of a name, can we," Hermione said with a small laugh.

"No, we can't. Anyway, Professor Dumbledore places ancient and strong forces and spells around the castle so I'm not entirely worried about anyone attempting to break into Hogwarts. And after all, why would Voldemort come here," James asked no one in particular.

"But there is one thing I don't understand: you said that you, Sirius, and Peter all became animagi. We saw Sirius and Peter transform but why didn't you," Hermione asked.

James smiled and said, "Because if I did transform, I would never be able to fit into the passageway."

"What is your animagus form," Hermione questioned, already knowing the answer.

"It's a stag," James responded smiling. "Well, anyway, I'd better get going. And remember: not a word of this conversation is spoken after this," James warned.

Seeing Harry and Hermione nodding their heads, James gave them a curt nod of his own and disappeared into the black depths of the Whomping Willow, the thick of its branches forming a seemingly endless pit of darkness.

Convinced their plan had succeeded, Hermione smiled to herself and started to walk away from the tree with Harry following close behind.

"So, now what do we do," Harry asked her.

"Well, we can't do much now. But tomorrow or the day after, we have let James know that I'm able to brew the potion for Remus."

"Have you brewed the Wolfsbane Potion before," Harry asked her, half-jokingly.

"No, but honestly, Harry, we brewed Polyjuice Potion back in our second year; I'm sure we can brew the Wolfsbane Potion in our sixth year," Hermione replied.

"Wait a minute, Hermione, you brewed Polyjuice Potion, not me and not Ron," Harry said.

"Harry, you did help; I sometimes wonder why you don't give yourself enough credit for the things you do," Hermione replied with a mild look of sorrow on her face.

"What are you on about?"

"Harry, you are always so modest about all of the things you have done so far in your time in and out of Hogwarts." Seeing the puzzled look on his face, she continued by saying, "Saving the Sorcerer's Stone, saving Ginny from the Chamber of Secrets, rescuing Sirius from the Dementor's Kiss, competing in the Triwizard Tournament, and battling the Death Eaters in the Department of Mysteries."

"Hermione, I told you once before that all of those times, I was lucky and had immense help, mainly from both you and Ron," Harry replied, annoyed.

"Harry, don't you understand? No one can go on in life alone; you Harry, have friends that will help you along the way but you also are a powerful wizard, even if you don't see so yourself. Life is about helping others, growing and maturing into responsible adults. Everything that has happened to you, good and bad, shapes you for your future."

"Yeah but what is the point anyway? In the future, both of my parents die at the hands of Peter and Sirius also dies because of me," Harry said, his words soft yet spoken with deceptive indignity.

"I know how much you want to change things, Harry, but we just can't," Hermione said, looking at Harry with worry.

"And why can't we? Hermione, I've been thinking about this: what if just talk to Peter? We can show him how much my dad, Sirius, and Remus mean to him and maybe that can prevent him from betraying them later on," Harry suggested.

"That seems like a good plan but there is a major flaw in it: the word 'maybe.' If we talk to Peter, there's no telling what might happen. It could alter the future in which he doesn't betray your parents but what if something else happens in its place? Time is a very powerful medium, Harry, and awful things have happened to wizards and witches that have interfered with what was supposed to happen.

"Professor Dumbledore is going to find some way to bring us back to our own time. However, if we change the time we are in right now, there is no way of knowing if we will be friends or if we are alive in our present. Time is something that waits for no one and nothing; changing one small thing in the here could have devastating ripple effects in the future."

Harry hung his head in defeat as his shoulders were slumped over. He knew Hermione was right but sometimes, doing the right thing was the true definition of being a Gryffindor. Harry felt his arm shift and he looked over to see Hermione had linked her arm with his. In his deep moment of internal conflictions, Hermione's warm gesture meant more to Harry than words could possibly express.

Together, the pair, linked arm in arm, walked away from the colossal moon that still hung in the sky. They trudged over the dew-soaked grass that squeaked under their shoes, a chilly breeze making their robes billow softly.

Harry and Hermione walked up the stone steps and entered the silent castle, the quietness deafening upon their ears. As they strolled down another long corridor, Hermione suddenly stopped, unlocking her arm from Harry's.

He turned around and asked, "What is it, Hermione?"

"Harry, I completely forgot: the Marauder's Map! If one of them takes out the map, they'll see your name on it!"

Harry's stomach quenched uncomfortably, not even bothering to think about his father's infamous map of Hogwarts School in which every student and teacher's name was clearly labeled along with the secret passageways that led out of Hogwarts.

"Harry, we have to go back and see if it is in your dormitory," Hermione said at once. "You didn't see if James had the map, did you?"

"No, I didn't but that doesn't mean the map wasn't in his robes," Harry replied, his heart now hammering wildly in his chest. If any one of the Marauder's looked at the map, Harry was sure more probing questions would be asked, including why Harry and James shared the same last name.

"Come on," Harry said, grabbing Hermione's hand and together, they took off down the corridor, running with all of their might.

His heart pounding and out of breath, Harry quickly gave the password to the portrait of the Fat Lady and entered Gryffindor Tower with Hermione right behind. They climbed the staircase as quickly yet quietly as they could, trying not to wake the other Gryffindors.

Entering his dormitory, Harry whipped out his wand and said, " _ACCIO MAP!_ " The blackness of the dormitory surrounded the pair as nothing happened.

"It's not here," Hermione cried out in a loud whisper, her hands wrangling her robes.

Harry shook his head, turning to Hermione. "It's not here."

"What are we going to do? This could detriment everything!"

Harry looked out of one of the dormitory's windows, lost in thought. How had he forgotten about the map his father and his friends had created?

"Harry, we need to figure out a way to retrieve that map," Hermione said, looking intently at Harry.

He nodded in reply as she continued, "Tomorrow, you have to find a way to bring something about that map up and see what they say about it."

"Okay," he said, nodding his head in again.

"Okay, then. Well, I guess I'll see you in the morning. Good night, Harry."

"Good night." As Hermione departed for her own dormitory, Harry pulled on his pajamas and crawled in between the sheets of his four-poster bed. For a long while, Harry lay awake, pondering how he could ask about a map he was to know nothing about. His cradled his head in both of his hands, staring up into the empty air, hoping an answer would suddenly appear before him.

Harry's mind then weaved its way over the conversation he and Hermione had about Peter and changing the future. As bad as Harry wanted his parents to live, the lasting impact of trying to keep Peter from switching sides in turning spy for Voldemort could have damaging effects to many people in the future.

As Harry's eyes began to droop in tiredness, he wondered, considering the cowardly act Peter would later commit, did Hogwarts sort its students too early?

The next morning, Harry awoke and found his dormitory empty. Sitting up groggily, he put on his glasses and started to get ready for the day.

Harry shuffled his feet down towards the Great Hall, his body feeling abnormally heavy from sleepiness.

He plopped down next to Hermione and saw that even though she looked tired, she seemed to be buzzing with anticipation.

"Hermione, are you okay," he asked her, noticing that the Marauder's were not seated at the Gryffindor table.

"Yes," she replied shortly.

"Well, you seem to be anxious about something," he commented off-handedly.

"Our first class this morning is Charms, Harry," she replied, her smile stretching wide across her face. "My favorite class!"

Harry inwardly rolled his eyes but smiled back at her nonetheless. A few moments later, Lily had seated herself across from the pair of them.

"Good morning, Harry and Hermione."

"Good morning," they replied in unison. Lily froze for a brief second, staring at the pair, and then resumed spreading jam on her piece of toast.

"Lily, do you know where James, Sirius, Remus, and Peter are," Hermione asked her, looking over at the empty spots where they usually sat.

Lily looked over as well and answered, "No," and resumed munching away on her toast. Harry chanced a quick look at Hermione and he smiled at her: no doubt, Lily could probably not give a care in the world at the present moment where the Marauder's could be.

"Anyway, are you two ready for classes today? We have Charms first," Lily said. Harry could almost feel Hermione's adrenaline next to him.

"Oh, yes, Charms is my favorite class! I find it so interesting," Hermione said, her eyes alight with excitement.

"Really? It's my favorite class to," Lily exclaimed. For the rest of breakfast, Harry partially listened to Hermione and Lily discuss their favorite charms spells. He wondered however that if his father did not show up to class, how was Harry supposed to ask about the Marauder's Map?

Walking into class ten minutes later, his worry was unfounded as James, Sirius, and Peter were already in the Charms classroom, albeit they were all sleeping.

As the rest of the students from Gryffindor and Ravenclaw filed into the classroom, their Charms professor, a much younger looking Professor Flitwick, stood on a stack of books at the front of the classroom and squeaked out, "Mr. Potter, Mr. Black, and Mr. Pettigrew, wake up if you please, class is now beginning!"

Harry, sitting next to his father, saw that he did not stir. Harry roughly shoved his elbow into his father's ribs. James lifted his head up, his eyes red from exhaustion, looking at Harry with an annoyed glance. Harry jerked his head up towards Professor Flitwick who was still looking on expectantly at Sirius and Peter. James in turn elbowed Sirius who then did the same to Peter.

"Excellent," Professor Flitwick called out. "Now, seeing as most of you have mastered the Bluebell Flames charm, we will now move on to the water-making spell. Can anyone tell me what this spell does?"

Not to Harry's surprise, both Hermione and Lily shot their hands up into the air. Professor Flitwick bounced in excitement as he said, "Yes, Miss Granger?"

"The water-making spell conjures water from the wand tip of the caster. Depending on the caster's movements, the charm can be a jet of water or even a wave of water."

"Excellent, ten points to Gryffindor," Professor Flitwick called out, causing Hermione to beam in response. "Now, the charm is ' _AGUAMENTI_.' I want each of you to fill the bowl that will be placed in front of you with water." Professor Flitwick waved his wand and small, empty bowls appeared in front of each student.

In the next few moments, the Charms classroom was filled with students trying to perform the water-making spell.

Harry looked over at James who had resumed back into his sleeping position. He wondered how he was supposed to talk to his father about the map if he slept through the entire class.

Annoyed with his father's behavior, Harry pointed his wand at his bowl and concentrated hard on conjuring water. However, Harry's mind was invaded by thoughts on how to approach the topic of the map. Not thinking about making water appear any longer, Harry said, " _AGUAMENTI_ ," but nothing happened.

Harry looked over and saw both Hermione and Lily's bowls were already filled with water. Catching Hermione's eyes, she nodded her head in James' direction. Harry nodded back, turned to James, and shook him awake.

He slowly stirred and peeked his head upwards a few inches and asked, "What do you want, Harry, I'm trying to sleep?"

"Have you been back inside the common room since last night," Harry whispered.

James shook his head, saying, "No. Why do you ask?"

"Because there was a notice posted inside the Gryffindor common room about going to Hogesmade Village but Lily told me and Hermione at breakfast that we needed permission from out parents to go into the town. Seeing as we don't have any permission forms, we were wondering if there was another way out of the castle and into Hogesmade?"

James lifted his head the entire way and smiled, saying, "Well, I could ask you why you don't ask for permission forms from McGonagall but where is the fun in that when you two could risk sneaking out of the castle?"

Harry inwardly let out a deep breath, assuring to himself that his plan had worked. He looked over at James and nodded.

James looked over at Hermione and said, "Are you sure Hermione wants to sneak out too? She seems like the type that abides by the rules, not breaks them."

Harry replied, "Hermione does things that would surprise you."

James smiled wildly and said, "Well, I'm going to let you in on a little secret then, Harry."

"Mr. Black, please wake up," Professor Flitwick called over to Sirius who still had his head resting on his arms, his eyes closed tightly. Seeing Professor Flitwick walked down from the stack of books he was standing upon, James fixed Sirius with an exasperating glance, pointed his wand and said, " _AGUAMENTI_."

However, out of tiredness, James missed his target of Sirius, and instead, James' wave of water flew right into tiny Professor Flitwick, knocking him backwards and completely off of his feet.

James' eyes widened in horror at his mistake as several Gryffindors and Ravenclaws walked over and helped Professor Flitwick back on his feet.

"Very well done, Mr. Potter, five points to Gryffindor," Professor Flitwick said as James turned a deep red.

"Sorry about that, professor."

Professor Flitwick waved his wand and a huge wave of water suddenly slammed over Sirius, jerking him awake instantly.

"Five points from Gryffindor, Mr. Black, for sleeping in class!" With that, Professor Flitwick walked away, as James snickered.

"Anyway, Harry, I want you and Hermione to meet me tonight after dinner. I'll fill you in on a secret I like to call the Marauder's Map."

Well, here is the fifth chapter to "Harry Potter and a Marauder Revival!" I know I posted this chapter earlier than expected. Chapter 6 is a work-in-progress and will be posted sometime tomorrow night. I tried to answer some questions and comments I got in the reviews in this chapter…so look out for those! Also, don't forget to let me know what you all thought about Chapter 5!


	6. The Minutes are Numbered

Harry Potter and a Marauder Revival

Chapter 6: The Minutes are Numbered

Harry had thought that classes were dragging on particularly slowly after Charms; he was secretly excited about his father telling him and Hermione about the Marauder's Map.

After lunch, the Gryffindors and Slytherins had Defense Against the Dark Arts. Seeing as Harry and Hermione had arrived a few days after term had started, this would be the first Defense Against the Dark Arts class they would have.

"Don't worry, Professor Elliot is a good teacher," Lily told both Harry and Hermione as they walked to class together. "I'm sure the both of you will be fine."

Harry merely nodded while Hermione smiled over at Lily. Just as Hermione opened her mouth to speak, however, Harry saw a student with shoulder-length, greasy black hair appear suddenly on Lily's other side.

"Hey Lily, how've you been," Severus asked, eyeing Harry with mistrust.

"Hello, Severus," Lily said. "I don't believe you've met Hermione, have you?"

Severus looked over at Hermione who was staring wide-eyed at him. "No, I don't believe I've met anyone who stared at me so ridiculously," he said, his mouth setting into a grim line.

"Don't talk about her like that," Harry said suddenly, furious that even young Snape possessed qualities his older self with become in conjunction with.

"Well excuse me, Harry, if I don't like being stared at like some caged hippogriff," Snape retorted, his face flushing red with suppressed rage.

"I reckon a one-eyed hippogriff is right site better than Snivellus," came a voice from behind them.

Harry, Hermione, Lily, and Severus all turned their heads in unison to see Sirius staring a Snape with a nefarious look in his eyes.

"Please, Black, is that the best you can come up with? I guess you can't teach a dog new tricks," Snape said, smiling, his eyes now alight with mirth.

Harry noticed Sirius' smirk slip off of his face. He then reached inside his robes and whipped out his wand, saying, "Why I 'ought to teach you some manners, Snivellus, though I'm not sure that brain under your greasy little head knows what they are in the first place!"

Severus had now took out his own wand and directed it at Sirius as Hermione and Lily stood in between the two of them, trying to prevent an all-out duel taking place in the corridors.

"What's going on here," shouted a voice, causing Harry to turn his head and see his father, Peter, and a pale-looking Remus come up to the scene of Sirius and Snape trying to point their wands at each other while Hermione and Lily stood in between them, waving their arms frantically in order to block their targets.

"I am about to teach Snivellus over here what happens when he crosses my path," Sirius said, his voice shaking with fury.

"I wonder how it feels, Sirius, to besmirch your family's name by being placed in Gryffindor. Even your own brother seems to have disowned you and your blood-traitor status," Snape spat out.

This was the last straw for Sirius for he shoved both Hermione and Lily sideways as he screamed out, " _INCARCEROUS!_ "Thick ropes flew out of Sirius' wand and over to Snape who dove out of the way.

Snape pointed his wand at Sirius and said, " _LEVICORPUS!_ " Before his spell could hit Sirius however, James tackled him to the ground.

Sirius then said, " _STUPEFY,_ " as Snape yelled, " _LOCOMOTOR MORTIS._ " The two spells collided in mid-air and ricocheted off of each other, crashing into the stone walls of the corridor, raining down sandstone debris on them all.

"Stop it, both of you!" Hermione had positioned herself in between the two students, both of their eyes filled with hate. "You are both acting like foolish children!"

Harry made his way and stood next to Hermione, noticing that both Sirius and Snape still had their wands pointed at one another.

"Hermione's right…there's no need to act like the way you two are," Lily said, her voice quavering slightly. "But now, we all need to get to class." With that, Lily, shooting a loathing look over at Sirius, walked away from the scene, followed by Hermione.

Harry stayed where he was, not knowing what would happen if he too walked away, leaving the charged air between Sirius and Snape empty.

Severus, giving Sirius a look of pure detestation, turned on his heel and stalked away. Harry turned around and saw James, Remus, and Peter go up to Sirius, demanding he explain to them how everything had started.

Harry then turned his back on them and walked to his Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom.

Upon entering the room, he noticed Lily and Snape were sharing a table but something seemed odd between the two of them: Snape seemed as if he was talking to Lily but it was clear she was ignoring him with her arms folded across her chest, her head turned in the opposite direction.

Harry took an empty seat next to Hermione. "What's going between the two of them," Harry asked her, nodding his head to Snape and Lily.

"Lily's upset that Snape insulted Sirius by calling him a 'blood-traitor'," Hermione responded, "With her being a Muggleborn and all, she places no value in blood purity."

Harry nodded once, seeing the marauder's enter the classroom, Sirius still seething with fury.

"Hermione, I forgot to tell you that James wants to meet the two of us after dinner in the Hogwart's kitchen," Harry said.

Hermione turned to face Harry with a questioning look on her face as she asked, "Why would James want to meet us in there?"

"He wants to tell us about sneaking out of the castle."

"What?"

"Oh, right, you didn't hear. I made up a story about a notice being put up in the Gryffindor common room about a Hogesmade visit. I told him we didn't have any signed permission forms and asked him if there was any other way to go into Hogesmade. He then told me he wanted to meet the two of us to tell us about the Marauder's Map," Harry explained.

"But why would he want to meet us in the kitchens," Hermione asked Harry who shrugged his shoulders in response.

"I don't know…that's just what he told me," Harry answered.

"Well, I must say, that is a pretty good story you came up with, Harry," Hermione said, smiling over at him.

He nodded in return, a small smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. He looked up and saw Lily looking at the two of them giving each other small smiles as she herself was grinning; Harry turned a deep crimson as the door of the classroom opened.

Harry turned his head and saw a younger looking man trudge up to the front of the classroom.

"Good afternoon, class," he called out. As the class returned his greeting, Harry assumed this was Professor Elliot.

Professor Elliot was a smaller man, no taller than Harry himself. He had dark brown hair that was combed to one side, as his pale skin was a stark contrast to his black robes.

"Now, today, I want to continue our lesson on non-verbal magic however this time, we will now put it into practice," Professor Elliot said, eyeing the students in turn. "I want each of you to pair up. One of you will try to jinx your partner while the other will in turn repel it without speaking. Now, everyone stand up!" The class did as they were told as Professor Elliot waved his wand and the desks disappeared. "Carry on!"

Before Harry and Hermione could practice their non-verbal spells, Professor Elliot approached the two of them.

"Miss Granger and Mr. Harry? My name is Professor Elliot and I assume the two of you have figured out that I am your Defense Against the Dark Arts professor this term," he told the two of them, a warm smile stretching across his face.

"As the two of you have heard already, we are practicing non-verbal magic. Last lesson, I gave a lecture on the uses and advantages one has when using non-verbal magic in a duel," he continued on. "Do either of you know why that might be useful?"

"Because your opponent will have no idea what your next mode of attack will be," Hermione said at once.

Professor Elliot looked over at her and nodded his head. "Excellent! Now, I want the two of you to practice together. Carry on."

Harry and Hermione turned, facing each other. Harry was then suddenly aware of how quiet the room was. He quickly scanned the other students, noticing how many of his classmates' faces were contorted to keep from saying a spell aloud.

Harry turned his attention back to Hermione and nodded his head at her, indicating she should try first.

Hermione nodded and closed her eyes, her wand trained on him. She opened her eyes and moved her wand in one fluid motion though nothing had happened.

Harry smiled, seeing Hermione's face screw up in disappointment. He shook off his laughter and directed his wand once again at Hermione.

In his head, Harry was repeating a silent mantra over and over, thinking ' _EXPELLIARMUS,_ _EXPELLIARMUS_ , _EXPELLIARMUS_.' Harry waved his wand but nothing happened again.

Harry looked over at Hermione who was already concentrating on her spell. Suddenly, Harry's wand flew out of his hand and over to Hermione who caught it in mid-air.

"Excellent work, Miss Granger," Professor Elliot called out, diverting everyone's attention to her and Harry. "Miss Granger is the first student to successfully disarm her partner using non-verbal magic! Ten points to Gryffindor."

Professor Elliot than stalked away over to James and Sirius who had pointed their wands over at Snape as Hermione walked over to Harry to give him back his wand.

"Um, great job," Harry said, not knowing what to say to Hermione.

She smiled at him and replied, "Thanks."

Throughout the rest of the lesson, Harry tried to disarm Hermione but to no avail; in the meantime, she had successfully disarmed him four different times.

"Okay, everyone, I think that is enough for today. For those of you unable to successfully cast a spell non-verbally, be warned, we will do this again next week. Off you go, then!"

The Gryffindors and Slytherins collected their bags and walked out of the classroom. Harry and Hermione were walking behind the marauders as they heard Sirius say, "I think I'll be getting plenty of practice on Snivellus!"

Harry could practically feel the air suddenly tense around him as he looked over at Hermione who was staring daggers at the back of Sirius' head. Before she could say anything, however, Harry placed his hand on her shoulder. As she looked up at him, he shook his head from side to side, willing for her to keep silent.

She huffed in response, but did not retort. The pair walked up to Gryffindor tower and they sat in two armchairs by the empty grate.

"Harry, do you think we should go visit Professor Dumbledore and ask him if he's found out any sort of clue as to why we're here," Hermione asked suddenly.

Harry looked over at her and replied, "I'm sure that if he did find something out, he would let us know right away." However, he noticed an anxious expression on Hermione's face. "Are you okay?"  
"Well, yes, but I can't stand the thought of thinking that the longer we're here, something in our time is bound to change," she whispered, looking over her shoulder to see if anyone was listening in on their conversation. "We could go back and not recognize anything anymore…not who we are, not Hogwarts, not even each other."

"I know you miss it, Hermione, our own time. But we have got to make the best of where we are right now. But I'm positive we will be returning to our own time soon enough." As Harry spoke those words aloud, he was hit with an uncomfortable thought: going back to his own time meant that his moments he would be spending with his parents were numbered.

Trying to take his mind off of the fact, he said, "Let's get started on our Transfiguration essay." Nodding her head, Hermione pulled out her book Professor McGonagall had loaned her and some parchment to start writing about Gamp's Law of Elemental Transfiguration.

Some time later, Lily came into the common room and walked over to Harry and Hermione.

"Hermione, I have something for you," Lily said, holding out a small piece of parchment for Hermione to take.

She skeptically looked at it but took it nonetheless. She read the words on the piece of parchment, as Harry saw her eyes dart from left to right, left to right.

"What is it," Harry asked.

"Oh, it's just some invitation to that silly little Slug Club," she replied. "Why he even bothers, I don't even know. Anyway, do you guys fancy some dinner. I'm famished."

Lily and Harry agreed and after he and Hermione had put their things away in their dormitories, the trio walked down to the Great Hall for a spot of dinner.

"So what did you guys think of Professor Elliot," Lily asked them, piling food on her plate.

"He's good, I guess; I mean, all we did was practice non-verbal spells," Hermione said, looking at Lily across the table.

"Yeah, you two missed his first class where he lectured us on why using non-verbal magic is advantageous in a duel. He also talked about You-Know-Who," Lily replied, after she swallowed a piece of meat.

Harry instantly jerked his head towards Lily and asked, "What did he say about him?"

"Professor Elliot said that there will come a time when You-Know-Who's reign of terror will end. But until that time comes, we had all be best prepared to fight the unknown and undiscovered depths of the dark arts."

Suddenly, loud laughter could be heard from the marauders, jolting Harry, Hermione, and Lily out of their reprieve.

"They always think they're so cool," Lily scoffed as Harry noticed that she was particularly staring at James. "They're all ignorant prats."

"I don't think they're that bad, actually," Harry piped in.

"Oh, please, just take one look at that precious Potter; his head gets bigger and bigger everyday from all of his self-pride and arrogance," Lily sneered.

As another loud bout of laughter filled their ears, Lily said, "I can't take them anymore. I'm going back to the common room."

"Harry, are you sure Lily and James end up together? It seems as if she can't stand the sight of him," Hermione said jokingly as Lily walked away.

"I know what you mean; it's like she thinks he's some sort of walking toxic waste," Harry said, shaking his head in wonder. "Remus and Sirius told me that my mum started dating my dad in their seventh year. But they didn't tell me what prompted her to suddenly start dating him."

As Harry and Hermione started debating on how James coerced Lily into dating him, the Great Hall slowly emptied.

A while later, Harry and Hermione were joined by James, ceasing their conversation about him. "So are the two of you ready," he asked, looking at the two of them in turn.

Hermione let out a small laugh as she and Harry had been conversing about James mere moments before he came up to them.

"What are you laughing for, Granger," he asked her, one of his eyebrows quirked upward.

"Oh, are we on a last name basis now, Potter," she shot back.

"Please, whenever have we been on a first name basis, Hermione?" She rolled her eyes in exasperation as he waved for them to get up so they could go to the Hogwart's kitchen.

As the three students made their way over to the Hogwart's kitchen, Hermione asked, "James, why are we meeting in the Hogwart's kitchen? Surely you could've chosen a better spot, couldn't you?"

"Well, Hermione, I find the best deserts are kept in the kitchens of Hogwarts," he replied.

"And why aren't the deserts sent up to the students and staff," Harry asked.

"I don't know. There are many secrets of Hogwarts in which I believe are supposed to remain hidden. I'm positive this ancient castle is still harboring hidden opportunities that have yet to be explored."

Harry vaguely wondered if his father or his friends knew of the Chamber of Secrets; in Harry's own time, many professors had believed it was to be a myth…Harry would soon find out in his second year how deadly long-standing myths could actually be.

Reaching a painting of a bowl of fruit, James turned to them and said, "Now, let me show you how to enter into the kitchens of Hogwarts." James turned back around to face the painting, reached up, and tickled the pear. Instantly, the painting swung forward.

He turned back around with a smug expression which almost immediately disappeared as he said, "Usually, people are surprised about this hidden painting leading into the kitchens; you two look like you already knew where it was," his voice was laced with disappointment.

"Well, that's because we overheard Sirius talking about it before," Harry recovered quickly.

"Yes, Sirius can be quite the blabber-mouth," James said, more to himself than to Harry and Hermione. "Well, anyway, let's go in."

The three Gryffindors passed under the threshold of the painting and were instantly swarmed by house-elves.

"Oh, yes, I forgot to mention that house-elves work in the kitchens," James called out, laughing as a house-elf grabbed both of his hands and shook it vigorously.

Harry was pushed against a wall as nearly two dozen house-elves pushed against him, trying to shake his hand. He looked into their wide, tennis-ball shaped eyes, filled with tears of joy from being visited by three students.

"Okay, okay, enough; is Fidus here," James asked the kitchen at large. Suddenly, a house-elf dressed in a forlorn pillowcase came running up to James.

"What can Fidus do for young masters and missus," the house-elves squeaked.

"Um, how about we get a chocolate cake with three glasses of cold milk," James said, looking at both Harry and Hermione. "Sound good?" As the both nodded their heads together, Fidus barreled over three house-elves in order to prepare James' order as quickly as possible.

"So, I believe the main reason we're here is to discuss the two of you sneaking out of the castle in order to go visit Hogesmade," James started.

"Harry said you said something to him about a 'Marauder's Map'," Hermione questioned, looking over at James.

"That is correct: I did briefly mention to Harry about a map. To answer your unasked question, the Marauder's Map is a diagram of Hogwarts in which every student and staff is labeled with their particular dot. This dot shows where they are anywhere inside the castle. The diagram also shows different hidden passageways that lead out of the castle.

"You already know one of them: the passage under the Whomping Willow leads to the Shrieking Shack which sits just on the outskirts of the village. However, there are more of them," James said.

"And you know where all of them are," Harry asked, already knowing the answer.

"Of course, we do; 'we' meaning Sirius, Remus, Peter, and myself."

"And you have this map in your possession," Hermione asked.

Before James could answer, Fidus returned with a tray that seemed entirely too big for him; he placed a plate of chocolate cake in between the three of them as well as three glasses of cold milk.

"Thanks, Fidus, this looks great," James said.

"Anything for masters and missus," replied the house-elf. Fidus struggled with the large tray, seeing as it was nearly as big as the elf itself. After Fidus finally took hold of the tray, he turned around and departed.

"Well, anyway, I do not have the map," James said, answering Hermione's question from before. Harry inwardly let out a massive sigh of relief. He looked over at Hermione and he could tell she also felt immense liberation.

"The caretaker, Filch, nicked it from us last year," James explained. "But it's no matter…I know all of the secret passageways out of the castle anyway. The most common passage we use is one on the third-floor corridor. The passage lies behind a statue of a one-eyed witch which leads you straight into the cellar of Honeydukes."

"If you don't have the map, how do you get around at night at the full moon without being caught by Filch or any other teacher," Hermione asked.

"I have an invisibility cloak that we use when sneaking off at the full moon," James replied. "It's not hard really."

He gave them a small smile as he started to tuck into the chocolate cake. "Mhmm, this cake is so delicious!"

"Delicious as it might be, may I ask the three of you are enjoying a delectable after-dinner treat?"

James, Harry, and Hermione turned and saw Professor Dumbledore framed in the doorway of the kitchen, his blue eyes fixated on their secret meeting.

Well, here is Chapter 6 of "Harry Potter and a Marauder Revival!" In the coming chapters, we will finally see a very special couple come closer together! I want to thank everyone that has reviewed thus far! Chapter 7 is a work in progress and will be posted SUNDAY night. Also, don't forget to review this chapter! Let me know what you think – I welcome both good and bad reviews!


	7. A War in the Mind

Harry Potter and a Marauder Revival

Chapter 7: A War in the Mind

"Professor Dumbledore," James choked out, shock fitted across his face, "We were just having some desert."

If not in the predicament he was in now, Harry would have burst out laughing at the sight of his father: the fork in his hand which held a large piece of chocolate cake was frozen mid-way to his mouth, as his eyes nearly bulging out of their sockets.

"Oh, I see that, Mr. Potter, and I have no doubt that the Hogwarts kitchens are in supply of some the most delicious deserts but I question why you did not have any at dinner," Professor Dumbledore asked, his bright blue eyes looking over at James.

"Well, you see, um, I was, I mean, we were…,"

"James knows I have a passion for the betterment of house-elves and he was showing me how wonderful Hogwarts treats the house-elves employed here," Hermione cut in.

James cast her an incredulous look as he asked, "Really?"

Hermione aimed a kick at James under the table but instead she kicked Harry's shin instead. His eyes watering in pain, Harry heard Professor Dumbledore reply, "Well, that is quite alright. I just never see students enjoying a desert in the Hogwarts kitchens after a rather large dinner. I, myself, decided to drop into the kitchen to grab some cocoa." Harry noticed that his bright blue eyes were twinkling as he looked at each student in turn.

"But, if you would excuse us, Mr. Potter, I would like a private word with Miss Granger and Mr. Harry," the headmaster said. James looked quickly back and forth between Harry and Hermione before he nodded his head and stood up.

"Of course, sir. Well then, good night, professor, Harry, Hermione," James said as he departed from the kitchen.

"Good night, master," Harry heard Fidus call out from the hoard of house-elves that crammed over to the doorway to see James out.

Once the painting had closed, Professor Dumbledore focused his attention back on Harry and Hermione.

"Well, as seemingly as awkward as this might seem, I would like to know how the two of you have been adjusting here so far," he asked.

Harry and Hermione shared a look with one another before Hermione responded by saying, "I would say we've adjusted rather well, given the circumstances and all. I just can't help thinking that just the two of us being here, in 1976, could change the future in more ways than one."

"Yes, Miss Granger, time is a very precious and fragile factor in which, when meddled with inappropriately, can churn out disastrous results."

"Sir, have you been able to find out any information about how we came to be here," Harry asked. For the first time, Harry noticed that Professor Dumbledore's hair and beard had more of an auburn color to it, contrasting starkly from the all-white color Harry was accustomed to.

"After researching in a fair few books, I have narrowed the results down to several ideas and theories all seeming to be as plausible as the next," he answered. "However, I am confident that the correct theory will present itself in due time."

"In 'due time,'" Hermione asked skeptically. "Professor, I don't understand."

"You see, Miss Granger and Mr. Harry, your situation is one of which I have never heard of before: two students suddenly appearing decades into the past with no reason or explanation as to why or how that happened. With cases like these, I believe the answer cannot be found in a book but rather, it will present itself when the given opportunity arises."

Harry looked over at Hermione whose face was screwed up in confusion; at this, he felt better as the words Professor Dumbledore was speaking to Harry and Hermione of had made no sense to him.

"I know how worried the two of you are about changing the future and I agree with you completely, that changing one aspect here could dramatically alter your present time, but reason with yourselves that change is something that cannot be stopped. A man can only be allowed to express himself completely when he has accepted the fact that he, himself, has changed."

"Are you suggesting that we could change this present here in hope of a better future," Harry asked their headmaster.

"What I am saying, rather than suggesting Mr. Harry, is that be careful what you deem adequate to revise for change comes like a stranger in daylight, unrecognizable to many but recognizable to one which could make all the difference, for better or for worse."

As Harry was contemplating the meaning behind Professor Dumbledore's words, he stood up suddenly, looked down on the two wondrous students and smiled warmly.

"I think it's best for all of us to tuck in," he advised. "Good night." As Harry and Hermione bid their headmaster a good night, Harry suddenly realized that Professor Dumbledore did not ask for any cocoa.

After holding off the house-elves who seemed to refuse for Harry and Hermione to depart from the kitchens, the two Gryffindors had finally managed to find their way walking back towards Gryffindor Tower.

"So what do you think about what Professor Dumbledore told us," Harry asked Hermione, whose eyes seemed to be glazed over as if she was in some sort of trance.

"I don't know, Harry. I mean, when he told us he's never heard of a situation like ours, that doesn't sound like a good sign," Hermione responded, hugging herself. "I really want to believe that we'll make it back to our own time and it's so infuriating to just sit here and not being able to do anything about it."

Harry nodded his head and looked out of a window the two were passing. Long dark shadows seemed to creep across the grounds of the ancient magical school in silent whispers. The darkness that encompassed the castle seemed so wicked yet alluring at the same time.

The small sliver of the new moon pierced the smooth surface waters of the Black Lake, its sinking depths calling out to lost souls of the bright night to vie for simplicity and structure.

"And to think about what he said about change," Hermione continued. "It's just all too confusing…like never waking up from a nightmare."

"Well, at least he confirmed one of my suspicions," Harry said.

"And what is that?"

Harry looked down at Hermione who had stopped to look at him. "We have to let everything play out as it is meant to be. Being here with my parents is almost like a dream come true as I've never gotten the chance to remember what they were like. Seeing them now is a treasure that I'll never forget but back in our own time, with my parents and Sirius gone, this is the life that I must face."

"Harry, you don't have to face it alone. Ron and I, along with Professor Dumbledore and the Weasleys are all here for you. Even Professor Lupin and Tonks all support you and we all believe that we are fighting for a better future, a more perfect tomorrow."

Harry looked down into Hermione's warm brown eyes as he gave her a small smile. Although both Ron and Hermione had shown Harry the strength of their friendship many times before, being in an unfamiliar time with people who Harry had thought he would never get the chance to meet, Harry appreciated Hermione's fierce loyalty.

As the pair continued to trek towards Gryffindor Tower, Harry was reminded of another question he had meant to ask Hermione. "Are you still willing to brew the Wolfsbane Potion for Remus?"

Hermione scoffed as she gave Harry a sarcastic look before she replied, "Of course I am. I just haven't had the opportunity to convince James of it yet."  
"And why must you do that?"

"Because James trusted us Harry that we wouldn't speak about Remus' transformation besides the night that we found out about it. I think it crushed James to confirm to us that Remus changes into a werewolf at the full moon because Remus didn't trust James, Sirius, or Peter in the first place. We need to persuade James that brewing the potion will be good for Remus."

"And that's after Remus finds out that James told us his secret."

"Exactly," Hermione concluded. "I can't even begin to think what would happen if James and Remus' friendship ended because of us trying to brew a potion to help with werewolf transformation."

"When do you think would be the best time to try to tell Remus about the potion," Harry asked.

"After the next full moon," Hermione answered simply.

"You want to wait another month before you give Remus the potion," Harry asked.

"No, I said we can tell him about it after the next full moon but I didn't say we couldn't start brewing it now. The problem is that apparently, the Wolfsbane Potion was just invented a few years ago. So supplies will be hard to come by as I don't think Hogwarts would even have the ingredients necessary to make it," Hermione said.

"On top of that, it's rather complex and takes two and a half weeks to brew correctly. And that's if we do it accurately."

As Hermione was explaining this to Harry, he was amazed at the fact that even through the enormous amount of difficulty they would surely face in trying to find the exact ingredients along with taking the time to concoct the potion precisely, Hermione seemed determined to help Remus when he was in desperate need.

"So if you don't think we can get the ingredients here, where do you suppose we go," Harry asked.

"Well, Hogesmade does have J. Pippin's Potions shop along with Dogweed and Deathcap, that Herbology shop we usually pass by whenever we go into the village," she explained.

"I've never seen those shops, let alone ever heard of them before," Harry replied.

"Honestly, it's not as if Hogesmade is a vast place! It's just a tiny village," Hermione vented. "But seeing as how you and Ron only have eyes for Honeydukes, Zonko's, and the Three Broomsticks, I shouldn't be surprised."

"Well it's not as if students are waltzing into Deathdog and Weedcap, Hermione, because no one wants to go to those shops on a free weekend into the village," Harry countered.

"Then let's just be happy those shops are there then for us to visit," Hermione finished with finality, thus ending their conversation.

Off in the distance, the pair heard the bell tower toll with a thunderous _GONG_. "When is that Slug Club meeting supposed to take place," Harry asked suddenly, uncomfortable with the silence that had ensued between him and Hermione.

At the mention of the Slug Club, Hermione gave a loud huff and rolled her eyes as she said, "Monday night. Honestly, though, I'm thinking about not even going. I think the whole thing is outrageous and ridiculous."

"Really," Harry asked as he prodded further.

"Yes; I mean, what kind of professor just favorites students based on who their family is or who their family knows -,"

"Or based on how intelligent a student might be," Harry intervened, giving Hermione a knowing look.

She stopped mid-sentence as she glanced over at Harry. Seeing the look on his face, she gave a small laugh.

"Well, that may be the one redeeming quality Professor Slughorn has when picking his newest members for the Slug Club," she responded.

All the way back to Gryffindor Tower, Harry and Hermione playfully argued about whether Hermione should go to Monday night's meeting or not.

After bidding Hermione a good night, Harry traveled up to his dormitory only to hear the room filled with the soft snores of the marauders.

Smiling, Harry changed into his pajamas and climbed into his four-poster bed. Before closing his curtains, Harry looked out of the window one more time. For some strange reason, Harry felt as if the grounds of Hogwarts were being overrun by invisible shadows, camouflaged into the darkness as not to be seen.

Frowning slightly, he shut the curtains of his bed and closed his eyes. Not long after, Harry Potter had drifted off into a peaceful slumber.

The following Monday, as Harry and Hermione walked together down into the dungeons for Potions class, James quickly caught up with them.

"Hey, Harry and Hermione, I wondered if I could have a quick word with you," James asked.

"Sure, what do you need," Hermione answered.

James, for the first time Harry noticed, ruffled his hair, as excitement seeped into his eyes. "Well, I just wanted to let the two of you know that next weekend, the Gryffindors are going to have Quidditch tryouts. And I wanted to see if the two of you were interested."  
Adrenaline suddenly started to bubble in the pit of Harry's stomach. If there was one thing he had loved while at Hogwarts, it was definitely playing Quidditch.

"Of course, I'll be there," Harry said at once in which James gave him a bright smile.

"And what about you, Hermione?"

"I actually don't fancy playing Quidditch," she said shortly, glowering over at Harry. "But thanks for the offer."

"Sure, no problem," James said, looking on curiously from Hermione who was glaring over at Harry who in turn, seemed not to have noticed.

Once James had left them, Hermione pounced on Harry as she said, "Harry! What are you thinking?"

"What," Harry asked, surprised by Hermione's unexpected attack.

"You can't play Quidditch, Harry! This would change everything!"

"Hermione, can you please tell me what you're talking about," he said, growing annoyed that one of his joys of Hogwarts was slipping out of his grasp.

"Harry, Gryffindor is supposed to win the House Cup this year! Don't you remember the awards collected by your father and the Gryffindor Quidditch team in the Trophy Room? If you try out, you'll most definitely make the team and win the House Cup. When we go back in our own time, people will see your name in the Trophy Room in the year 1976!"

Harry pondered this thought for a moment; however, surprising even himself, he was more focused on Hermione's confidence that Harry would both make the Gryffindor Quidditch team and win the House Cup.

Despite his sudden elation at Hermione's words, Harry was unwilling to let Quidditch go without a fight. After these thoughts flitted through his mind, Harry replied, "And brewing Wolfsbane Potion just two years after it was invented also will have no effect on the future either?"

"That's completely different, Harry," Hermione said.

"And how is it different?"

"Because we're helping out a friend of ours, Harry. If you get picked to be on the team, who knows what will happen if students from out time see your name in the Trophy Room with the Gryffindor Quidditch team winning the House Cup in 1976."

Harry looked at Hermione who had some slight fear clouding in her eyes mixed in with courageousness.

Harry, not wanting to say anything he might regret later, stalked past Hermione and into the Potions classroom.

Not wanting to sit with Hermione, Harry chose a table at the back of the room. Soon, James, Sirius, and Peter sat with him.

"Where's Remus," Harry asked, noticing him missing.

"He apparently doesn't well so he went to the hospital wing," Peter answered, taking out his cauldron along with his potion scales. Harry didn't answer as he saw Hermione and Lily sit together with Hermione's back to him.

"By the way, why aren't you sitting over with Hermione," James asked suddenly. "I mean, you've always sat with her in Potions."

"Er, it's nothing, really," Harry replied, not wanting to talk about his row with Hermione.

James had a strange look in his eye but before he could question any further, Professor Slughorn's voice filled the classroom.

"A good morning to you class! Today, we will be brewing something called Murtlap Essence. Now, who here can tell me the effects of the potion," Professor Slughorn asked, turning immediately to Hermione and Lily, both of whose hands were already in the air.

"Let's give this one to Miss Evans."

"Murtlap Essence soothes and can heal cuts and abrasions," she responded.

"Excellent! And what are the known ingredients, Miss Granger?"

"The known ingredients of the potion are strained and pickled tentacles of Murtlaps," Hermione said at once.

"Outstanding! Five points apiece to Gryffindor," Professor Slughorn beamed. "Now, I want all of you to brew a small cauldron full of Murtlap Essence for which the directions can be found on page fifty-five in your book. You have the rest of class to complete it…carry on!"

As the students scrambled to collect their necessities, Harry opened his Potions book and flipped it to page fifty-five, his desire and yearning to play Quidditch still burning deep inside of him.

Harry then thought to himself how Hermione should have no problem brewing Murtlap Essence seeing as she actually prepared some for him their previous year when their gargoyle-like Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Professor Umbridge, used a blood quill on Harry.

As Harry read over the directions, he thought to himself the potion didn't look too difficult to make correctly.

However, over the next half-hour, Harry kept peeking his head up to look at Hermione, whom he noticed rather dully, that she did not seem perturbed by their argument that had taken place before class.

"Mate, are you sure you are okay," James asked, after having looked up from his cauldron and noticed Harry was yet again staring over at Hermione.

"Me? Yeah, why," Harry asked back.

"Because every time I look up, I see you glimpsing at Hermione," James responded.

"Oh, come off it, James! It's not like you don't stare open-mouthed at Lily like a lovesick puppy either," Sirius cut in.

"What are you on about, Sirius? I don't have anything going on with Evans," James retorted.

"Clearly," he responded dryly.

James shot him an annoyed look and continued, "Listen, Harry, if you like Hermione, then why not ask her to go with you into Hogesmade?"

"I don't like Hermione…well, not like that! It's just that we're best friends, not lovers," Harry responded, feeling his throat go dry while his heart started to pound against his chest.

"Sure, if you say so," James said back, giving Harry a pointed look.

"Does everyone think I like Hermione," Harry asked in a harsh whisper.

"Everyone? What do you mean?"

"What I mean is that you're not the first person to suggest that I like her."

"Really? Who also said so," James asked.

"Lily," Harry responded shortly.

James, turning his attention from Harry over to Lily, gave an audible huff but remained silent.

"You two have really got it bad. I mean, if you really want to ask them out, just go and give them a chat up," Sirius joked, smiling at his gag.

"Sod off," James spat out, not looking over at his best friend. For the rest of class, Harry and James seemed to look up every so often over at Hermione and Lily while Sirius kept smiling gleefully as Peter kept more to himself and did not participate in Sirius' barrage.

"Okay, class, time is up! I want each of you to fill a small vial of your Murtlap Essence and label it clearly and place it on my desk for grading; yes, I'm looking at you Mr. Black," Professor Slughorn called out just before the bell clanged loudly about, signaling the end of the lesson.

As Harry walked up to the front of the Potions classroom to turn in his work, he overheard Professor Slughorn say to Hermione, "I must say I'm very excited for our get-together tonight with the Slug Club. I assume you'll be joining us, Miss Granger?" Professor Slughorn, Harry thought, looked like a kid on Christmas morning.

"Of course, sir," Hermione said, flashing him a false smile.

"Oh, excellent! See you later then," he replied, waving her away, beaming delightedly.

As Hermione turned away from his desk, her and Harry locked eyes with one another. Without a word, she gave him a small smile and walked away. Harry watched her pick up her bag and depart from the dungeons.

After Harry had turned in his vial, he too left the dungeons and headed for the greenhouses for Herbology. On his way to the greenhouses, Harry looked out of the windows he passed in the corridor and noticed it was heavily raining. Off in the distance, Harry could make out a bright flashing of lightning that wove itself in-between thick grey clouds in the sky.

Harry, however, became very confused. Not one, but two people thought he had some sort of crush or hidden infatuation with Hermione. Not only was it two random students but it was his parents nonetheless.

Of course, James and Lily had no idea Harry was their son (or rather, he was going to be their son in the near future), but their deductions had thrown Harry in for a loop.

Never before had feelings more than friendship ever crossed Harry's mind with Hermione; those thoughts had been reserved rather for Cho Chang, although those emotions have long since gone.

His bag, filled with his school books, parchment, and quills, weighed down heavily on Harry's shoulder. Could it be possible, that, Harry Potter, might harbor secret feelings for Hermione Granger?

He shook his head in disbelief, thinking the whole scenario was ridiculous. He and Hermione had been friends ever since they were eleven years old; obviously he cared deeply for her.

As another flash of lightning streaked across the dreary sky and a strong stroke of thunder rattled the windows of the castle, Harry rushed off to the greenhouses, a new hope erupting in his mind.

Well, here is the seventh chapter to "Harry Potter and a Marauder Revival!" Chapter 8 is a work in progress though it will not be posted until **THURSDAY** night; I know it is a long wait but I have midterms coming up that won't be studying themselves. Anyway, I want to thank everyone for leaving a review and reading my story…I really enjoy looking over the reviews!  
Also, if you have any questions or comments, or just feel like writing a short review based off of Chapter 7, please feel free to do so!


	8. Lion Heart

Harry Potter and a Marauder Revival

Chapter 8: Lion Heart

His feet were pounding against the stone floors of the castle; his breathing now had become ragged as his heart was pounding as if it would jump out of his chest momentarily. Harry's robes billowed behind him as the rain continued to unleash havoc upon the grounds of Hogwarts.

Entering into one of the greenhouses, Harry's bright green eyes looked around to see where Hermione was. To his annoyance and mild frustration, Hermione was once again next to James and the two seemed to be in deep conversation.

Harry noted Lily had a partner as well as Remus, who seemed to be feeling better, who was partnered with Peter and Sirius was the only student alone, though Harry noticed he kept shooting disgruntled glances over at James and Hermione.

Harry placed his things next to Sirius as Professor Sprout entered into the greenhouse. Harry could barely hear anything she was saying as the rain continued to pound against the glass roof of their respective greenhouse which was like hearing rocks hammering into a metal coverage.

"Can you hear anything Professor Sprout is saying," Harry asked, leaning closer to Sirius to make sure he could hear his question.

"Yeah, she said something about a snargaluff," Sirius replied in a bored voice.

"And what is a snargaluff," Harry asked back.

"This ugly thing in front of us," Sirius said, pointing to what looked like an overgrown stump with thick vines adorned with menacing thorns.

"And what are we supposed to do with this," Harry asked, eyeing the deadly-looking plant with disdain.

"We have to take out the pulsating pods within them," Sirius replied, eyeing Harry with growing dislike.

Seeing the look on his godfather's face, Harry felt his heart constrict. Ever since he found out he had a godfather back in his third year, Harry's heart would race with excitement and longing every time he saw him; Sirius was one of his last connections to his parents.

Seeing the rest of the class put on their dragon-hide gloves, Harry and Sirius followed suit.

"Listen, what he have to do is one of us has to stick our arm into this stump and take out the pulsating pods; there should be three of them in there," Sirius said, taking charge of the situation.

"How do you know so much about these things," Harry asked.

"Please, my mum grows these things for sport," he replied, his voice laced with dark humor. "So go on, stick in your arm."

"What? Why don't you stick in your arm," Harry asked back.

Sirius put his hands on his hips and gave Harry a sarcastic look, saying, "Give me a break, Harry. Just stick in your arm and take out one of the pods! It's not like it's difficult to do!"

"If it isn't difficult then why don't you do it," Harry suggested.

Next to them, Remus had his arm trapped in the stump as its vines flung with force through the air.  
"Well come on, Peter, don't just stand there! Do something," Remus yelled over the heavy rain and screams of his peers as their arms became entrapped in the snargaluff. Peter looked pale as he slowly stuck one of his fingers as if to try to test the strength of the vine.

Once his finger touched a vine of the stump, another one whirled around and whipped him across the face.

As Peter's hands flew up to the growing bright red mark on his face, James and Hermione looked as if they were going through a savage war of their own.

James, having seen snargaluff's before, bravely stuck his arm into the stump almost immediately. However, once he did so, the thick vines swung to life at once and flew over to both James and Hermione.

A thorn cut through Hermione's robes as James had his glasses knocked off of his face. Temporarily blinded, James' last hope was Hermione in order for his arm to be free. As the stump clamped tighter and tighter on his arm, Hermione was wrestling with two vines at once: one was wrapped around her arm while she tried to beat away the other that was approaching her face.

Harry, who had finally succumbed to Sirius' demands that he risk his arm against the snargaluff, was losing pressure in his own arm as the entrapment of the plant was surprisingly powerful.

"Come on, Harry, put some muscle into it," Sirius called out, giving him a smirk.

"Why don't you do something, Sirius, instead of just standing there," Harry said back to him.

"Like what?"

"Oh, I don't know, maybe trying to force open this stump around my arm," Harry grunted, trying to pry his arm out of the ferocious plant.

As a lone vine wound itself through Sirius' shoulder-length hair, Harry chanced a glance over at Hermione, who now had a small cut on her cheek, her hair as messy as ever yet she and James had managed to capture two pulsating pods.

After a hard struggle that lasted for a full hour, Herbology, in Harry's mind, was thankfully over. His breathing heavy once again, Harry collected his belongings and rushed over to Hermione, who was again talking to James.

As Harry approached the pair, Hermione turned around and walked straight into Harry. Hermione, who was knocked completely off of her feet, fell back in James, who tripped over his own feet while trying to catch Hermione, and ran into Lily.

After brushing herself off, Lily gave James a cold stare and said, "Mind where you're walking, Potter."

"That wasn't my fault, Evans! Hey, Evans," James called out, following her out of the greenhouse.

"Are you alright," Harry asked, looking over at Hermione.

"Yes, yes, I'm fine," she replied, looking up at him.

Harry nodded once and said, "Right, well let's get going then." The two walked out of the greenhouses and back into the quiet corridors of the castle.

"Listen, Hermione, I just wanted to apologize about before," Harry began before he was cut off by Hermione.

"Apologize for what," she asked.

"You know, for overreacting about Quidditch," he said quietly.

"Oh, Harry, don't worry about apologizing for that. I understand that you want to play and all so it's not a big deal." Harry let out a sigh of relief as he and Hermione walked through the walls of the castle.

"Anyway, I think we should talk to James tonight about Remus," Hermione said suddenly, alerting Harry.

"About Remus," Harry asked confused by her statement.

"The Wolfsbane Potion, Harry," Hermione replied, giving him an exasperated look to which he gave a small smile.

"Remus has his rounds tonight with him being a prefect and all," Hermione continued, "So we can have time to talk to James about it."

"And what about Sirius and Peter? I doubt my dad told them that we know of Remus' secret," Harry asked.

Hermione looked deep in thought as if contemplating what Harry had said. "Well, I think it would be better if this was just kept between us and James. It's not that I don't trust Sirius or anything but he hasn't been the nicest to us. He could think we're intentionally trying to hurt Remus or something."

"What about Peter," Harry asked.

Hermione looked up at Harry and frowned. "Even though he still is friends with James, I still don't trust him," she whispered.

"Hermione, I've been thinking about something. With the two of us being here, doesn't that mean that we are changing things in our own time? You said that even the small changes will make a difference, didn't you? Even though we planned to let everything play out as it should happen, being here could have long-lasting effects, right?"

Hermione nodded her head silently as he replied, "You're right about that, Harry. But I think we should try to minimize the result we could achieve if we intentionally tried to change something. I don't even want to begin to think about the changes we could make here."

"So, do you think that when we go back into our own time, we will recognize everything and everyone," Harry asked.

"I hope so, Harry. As I've said before, terrible things happen to witches and wizards that play around with time. Even though we were sent here against our will, we have to be careful that we don't interrupt things that are supposed to happen."

Harry nodded as they trudged on through the halls of the ancient castle, both Gryffindors lost in their own precious thoughts.

Later that night, after dinner, Harry and Hermione found James sitting by an armchair near the small fire in the common room. Harry noticed that, by chance, Sirius and Peter were playing a game of chess over by a far window.

"James, can we talk to you about something," Hermione asked, looking over at James who was staring blankly at the fire.

"Sure," he said, looking over at them, his eyes lingering over Harry for a long moment.

As Harry sat down, Hermione asked, "Are you okay? Something seems to be bothering you."

James shrugged his shoulders silently, not answering Hermione's question, though she gave him a knowing look.

"What did you two want to talk to me about," he asked.

Hermione looked over at Harry as he said, "Well, we wanted to discuss with you Remus."

"Remus? What about him?"

"James, I think I know something that might help his condition," Hermione whispered, casting a quick glance around the common room to see if anyone was listening.

"Hermione, don't you remember what I told both you and Harry? You were not going to say anything about Remus after that night," James seethed.

"And we haven't! We're just trying to help him," Hermione shot back.

"Help him with what?"

"Harry and I know of a potion that could help lessen the effects of him changing into a werewolf."

"There's no such potion that exists," James said at once.

"Oh, I'm sorry, James. I didn't know you were a master at potions," Hermione interjected darkly. James' hazel eyes bore in Hermione's brown eyes, both of their faces set in hard lines as they stared at one another with growing animosity.

"Listen, James, we wouldn't try to intentionally hurt Remus. We both know he's a good person. A few years ago, a potion called the Wolfsbane Potion was created which relieves some symptoms when people change into a werewolf," Harry interjected.

James seemed to contemplate what Harry had just told him. "So, if Remus takes this potion, he won't completely change into a werewolf?"

"He will but this potion was designed so that people with the same condition Remus has wont' lose their minds after their transformation," Hermione replied.

James' gaze flicked back over to the grate, his glasses dancing from the flames within. "And you know how to brew it," he asked, looking back over at Hermione.

"Well, I've never brewed it before, but I'm sure I'll be able to," she replied.

"What makes you so confident," James asked.

"She brewed Polyjuice Potion in our second year," Harry said. Instantly, Harry knew he wasn't supposed to say this.

"You brewed Polyjuice Potion in your second year," James asked, his eyes wide. "I thought you two were home-schooled?"

"We were," Hermione responded, her voice even.

"But Polyjuice Potion is something we don't even do at Hogwarts," James replied, eyeing Hermione skeptically.

"We were pretty advanced in our studies when we were home-schooled," she answered. "So, what do you think?"

"Well, if you say it will help with his transformation, then I'm all for helping him out; he dreads the full moon."

With James' acceptance, Hermione turned and smiled brightly over at Harry, whose stomach gave a small little flip.

"But I have one more question: why are you two so determined to help Remus?"

Harry didn't have an answer to that question but to his relief, Hermione replied, "Because we consider him our friend."

"You already consider him your friend? I don't recall seeing the two of you talk much with him."

Hermione started to look uncomfortable as she said, "Well, we haven't talked much but -,"

"If you haven't talked, why do you consider him a friend? I mean, you do know what friends are, right?"

At this, Hermione fell silent as Harry looked over at her. She then whispered, "No, I didn't know what friends were before, James."

"What are you talking about?"

Hermione gave a small sigh and said, "Before I found out I was a witch, I didn't have many friends. I grew up in a family of muggles, just me and my mum and dad. I was sent to junior school before being home-schooled. But, I didn't fit in at all. The 'friends' that I had in school was books."

Harry noticed Hermione's eyes had grown red with unshed tears threatening to fall at any moment. "My mum and dad would ask me if I wanted to have any friends over from time to time but that was before they realized I didn't have any. It was lonely…very lonely, going to school with a bunch of strangers were what they were, really.

"I could tell my parents felt bad for me being friendless. No parent wants to see their child not have any friends but that's exactly what mine saw: they saw their only daughter always alone and by herself."

Hermione sniffed as she gazed up at the ceiling, a tear streaking down her face. "I felt awful; there were days where I wished there someone my own age I could talk to and have fun with. But many people thought I was just a bossy know-it-all and I became afraid that everyone saw me as such. So in turn, I shunned everyone and didn't let anyone in.

"Coming here, to Hogwats, it feels like I've been giving another chance to make real friends; friends that I care for and will care for me in return," Hermione finished, staring down at her hands which were folded neatly together in her lap.

Harry and James sat in stunned silence, with James looking extremely uncomfortable. A moment later, Hermione stood up and whispered, "I think I'll head to bed." Without another word, she turned and walked up the staircase to her dormitory as Harry saw her wipe away another fallen tear.

Harry looked over at James who had watched Hermione silently make her way up the stairs. At the sound of her dormitory door closing shut, he gave a loud sigh and slumped down into the armchair he was sitting in.

No words were spoken after Hermione had departed because no words were needed to be said. Sometime later, Harry also made his way up to his dormitory, his mind plagued with deep concerns.

That night, Harry lay awake for a long time thinking about what Hermione had revealed to him and his father. Although Harry knew Hermione didn't have many friends initially (especially during their first year at Hogwarts), he had never known the scope of how alone Hermione had felt before her Hogwarts years.

An uncomfortable notion set foot within Harry: he could actually relate to Hermione on a personal level.

Before he had received his letter from Hogwarts, Harry felt very much alone even though he was living with a blood-related family member: Aunt Petunia. But he was treated with great disdain and Uncle Vernon, Aunt Petunia, and his cousin Dudley treated him like he was a vast burden on their family.

He never had any friends to speak of growing up and he was never shown love of any kind that he could remember. As he went through Hogwarts, he had started to begin to understand the meaning of friendship and love with his mother making the ultimate sacrifice in order for her son, Harry, to live a life full of love, friendship, and family.

Harry sighed and shifted over onto his side, trying to make himself go to sleep. Unbeknownst to him, James was lying wide awake in his four-poster bed, feeling like he deeply hurt someone who he considered a true friend.

Well, I know this is a shorter chapter but I liked ending it where I did. Anyway, Chapter 9 is a work-in-progress and will be posted **FRIDAY** night. Thanks to everyone that has left a review for me and don't forget to let me know what you all thought of this chapter!


	9. A Setting Sun

Harry Potter and a Marauder Revival

Chapter 9: A Setting Sun

When Harry awoke the following morning, the unease of Hermione's revelation to him and James the night before still made him feel perturbed. Nonetheless, Hermione was one of his best friends, with Ron being the other, and he was going to make sure he was there for her as she was always there for him in his time of great need.

Walking down into the Great Hall, Harry noticed the ceiling was a dull grey, with rain surely to come later on in the day. Harry walked over to the Gryffindor table and saw Hermione sitting alone with a book in front of her and stray curl tucked behind her ear.

Harry sighed heavily at the look on Hermione's face. What he saw on her face was peace. Leaving from their own, turbulent time and being transported to the first era of Voldemort's reign of terror, it was incredibly strange not to be worried about the horrors that were occurring outside the walls of Hogwarts.

He walked over to Hermione and sat down opposite her. She looked up from her book and smiled warmly over at him.

"How are you feeling, Hermione," Harry asked cautiously.

She gave him another wide smile as she replied, "I feel fine. Why do you ask?"

"Well, last night, after you, um, well when you told us that, I just thought that maybe…" Harry trailed off, not knowing how to end his statement.

"Harry, I told you and James that I didn't have any friends but that was in the past, before I came to Hogwarts. I have friends now though: I have you, Ron, Ginny, James, Lily, Remus, Sirius, and Hagrid."

"After you told us about that last night, you looked upset," Harry stated.

"I was, I was very upset because I never mentioned that I had no friends out loud to anyone before. It's different when other people say it, like Ron in our first year for example, but me actually telling others I had no friends makes it all so real. I don't know how to explain it but I can tell you that I never thought I would be so upset over it; it's not as if I didn't know of it before."

Harry nodded his head at her, content over the fact that Hermione seemed to be doing just fine in relation to how she see was last night.

"Say, Hermione, can I ask you something?"

"Harry, you don't have to ask me if you can ask me something," she said, sarcastically rolling her eyes.

"Right, well, I was just thinking that the whole time I've been here, I haven't worried once about Voldemort. Do you think that's strange? After all, right now, there's a war going on, right?"

"You're right, Harry, that there is a war taking place. I think the reason you don't think about Voldemort right now is because this is the past and you know what happens in the past. It's the future that you worry about; it's the future we all worry about, actually. Nothing and no one is promised or guaranteed tomorrow and I'm sure many students here are worried about the current state of things."

Harry pondered over Hermione's words and realized it held some valid truth to them: although Voldemort and his loyal Death Eaters were lurking about within the Wizarding community, Harry knew what was bound to come.

Starling Harry out of his revere, James suddenly took a seat next to him and looked over at Hermione.

"Hey, Hermione, how're you feeling today," James asked politely.

Harry and Hermione shared a brief look before she replied, "James, I'm fine. Although I was upset last night, I'm fine today, I promise," she added, seeing the look on his face.

"Are you sure? Because after what you said last night, you seemed pretty upset," James asked. Harry noted that he had said nearly the exact same thing to Hermione moments before.

She gave him a warm smile and said, "I'm sure. You don't have to worry, about me at least."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

Hermione closed her book and huffed, "Honestly, do you think we're all blind?"

"What are you on about, Granger?"

Hermione gave him a small laugh and said, "We all see how you act around Lily."

James, who happened to take a sip of his pumpkin juice, started choking. Harry thumped him on his back as he coughed several times as he sputtered out, "What did you just say?"

"You know what I said, James, but never mind now, it's not that important," Hermione said dismissively.

Harry thought back to the times he saw his father and his mother together; he realized those times were far few in between. Had Hermione seen other happenings that would cause her to push James into the direction of Lily? Or did Lily say things to Hermione about James?

Confusion swept through Harry's mind as he went off to class, thinking that the only times he remembered of his father and mother together, Lily had been annoyed with James and acted quite hostile towards him.

The day passed on quickly with rain, once again, pounding the walls of the castle. Every day for the rest of the week, rain soaked the grounds of Hogwarts so much so, small puddles and rivers started forming outside as the Black Lake look like it was on the verge of overflowing with all of the extra water.

Friday evening, as Harry and Hermione sat in one corner of the library completing their Potions essay, Harry asked, "When do you think you're going to start with the Wolfsbane Potion?"

"Well, there's a Hogsmeade trip scheduled for tomorrow, so I was thinking about going down to the village and getting the supplies there. That is, of course, depending on the rain," Hermione said, nodding her head off to the window, which was being pelted with thick rain drops.

"If we go tomorrow, we'll have to sneak out then," Harry said, remembering they didn't have any written permission to go into the village. "I suspect the security will be extra tight with everything going on with Voldemort."

Hermione set down her quill. "So are we just going to exit through one of the secret passageways," she asked.

Harry shrugged his shoulders as he replied, "Well, that's the only way, isn't it? I mean, I could ask my father if I we could borrow his invisibility cloak."

"You think that he would loan it to you," Hermione asked with apprehension.

"I suppose so, I mean, it's not like I'm going to do anything to it," Harry replied.

"Yes, but James doesn't know that."

"I'm sure he'll let us use it if he isn't," Harry finished. "Anyway, I meant to ask you, you don't think brewing the potion for Remus will have effects on the future?"

"What kind of effects were you thinking of, Harry?"

"I don't know; it just seems that every action we take here will impact something or someone else later."

"I think brewing the potion for Remus will have positive effects on him and maybe on others as well. What kind of positive effects might it have, I don't know but I know that I really want to help him now. I think Remus has always been kind of ashamed of his transformation. He treats it like it's some kind of contamination."

"Well, technically, Hermione, would you want to turn unwillingly into a werewolf every full moon?"

"Not exactly but I just feel bad that Remus has to. He was bitten by that foul werewolf, Greyback, and he is going to pay the consequences of that for the rest of his life. The least we could do for him is to ease the transformation process," Hermione added.

"Do you think it's odd that Remus didn't tell James, Sirius, and Peter about his condition," Harry asked.

"No, not really. I mean, Remus had no idea how they would react; I think he was more afraid that they would abandon him if they found out his secret. Think about it, Remus probably has been shunned for most of his young life because he is forced to turn into a werewolf. It's like Hagrid, isn't it? Just because he's half-giant people label him as dangerous; it's all a load of rubbish."

Harry could understand the feeling of being an outcast within the wizarding community: just last year, the Ministry of Magic called out both he and Dumbledore as bold-faced liars after the pair had announced the return of Voldemort. Then, over the summer, after the Minister of Magic was forced to accept Voldemort had indeed returned, Harry's own name became synonymous with "The Chosen One."

Hermione picked up her quill and started scribbling away again; Harry noticed Hermione had at least a foot more than Professor Slughorn had asked them to write. He shook his head in mock exasperation at Hermione's drive of over-performance.

Half an hour later, the pair picked up their belongings and departed from the library. As they walked together through the quiet castle's walls, Harry reminisced about his best mate, Ron. Although he was at Hogwarts, being in a different era, he was at a home away from home.

Entering back into the Gryffindor common room, Harry saw James sitting by the fire, talking quietly with Sirius.

Hermione bade him good night and departed for her dormitory as Harry went over and sat next to James. When he did so, Sirius gave him a disgruntled look as if Harry was rudely interrupting an important conversation between the two students.

"What's up, Harry," James asked, turning to look at him.

"There's a Hogsmeade visit tomorrow, actually. I was wondering about Hermione and I, you know, sneaking out of the castle," Harry said.

"Well, tomorrow is Gryffindor tryouts for Quidditch so I can't go into the village at all," James replied. "Although, I could lend you my invisibility cloak so the two of you could sneak out." Sirius gave him an incredulous look.

"A-are you serious? You have an invisibility cloak," Harry asked, knowing he was not supposed to know of his dad's cloak.

"Sure I do! I mean you will probably need it if you two truly do plan on sneaking out of the castle," James said matter-of-factly.

"James, are you sure you're going to let Harry and, what's her name, Hermione, use your invisibility cloak," Sirius asked, wide-eyed.

"What's the matter, Sirius? It's not like we don't know who they are."

"But that's the thing, isn't it? We don't know who they are! They just arrived here after being home-schooled for five years! Who knows what they plan to do with your cloak?"

"It doesn't matter what they plan to do with it; all the matters is that it's returned, right Harry?"

"All we want to do is to go into Hogsmeade," Harry replied, growing increasingly troubled at his godfather's aggressiveness.

"See, nothing to worry about," James said, turning to look at Sirius. "I'll just leave the cloak for you two on my bed and don't forget: whatever you do, do not get caught," he said, stressing the last four words.

"Don't worry, we won't." Harry turned to depart for his dormitory before he turned around and called out," And James, thanks a lot."

As Harry climbed the stairs, he heard Sirius mutter, "And this day just keeps getting weirder and weirder!"

Harry climbed into his four-poster bed and let sleep overtake him. His mind swiftly drifted off into a dreamland, filled with both wonder and confusion.

The following morning, Harry awoke, feeling well-rested. He stretched his arms over his head and made his way out of bed. Harry noticed that the curtains of James' four-poster bed were open and sitting there on top of his bed sheets where two items: the first was his invisibility cloak and the second was a small pouch.

Perplexed, Harry opened the small pouch and found galleons and knuts inside. Harry felt winded: he and Hermione had planned to go and purchase the ingredients needed to brew the Wolfsbane Potion yet they hadn't any money!

Smiling slightly, Harry packed up the two items and departed from his dormitory and headed for the Great Hall.

Seeing the bright blue sky reflected within the ceiling of the hall, Harry took a seat across from Hermione.

"You know, Hermione, with all of our planning for the Wolfsbane Potion, I completely forgot about us needing money to purchase what we need," Harry said.

Shock flitted across Hermione's face. "I completely forgot about that too! Oh, Harry, what are we to do?"

"Don't worry about it, Hermione." Harry reached inside his jacket pocket and took out a small pouch and said, "James actually left this for us."

"How did he know?"

"How did he know what," Harry asked back, not understanding Hermione's question.

"I mean, how did he know to leave money for us? Neither one of us didn't mention to him we haven't any money," Hermione explained.

Harry thought about this and wondered how James knew to leave them money. He couldn't recall any conversation he had with James discussing the matters of money.

"I don't know, actually," Harry finally replied.

"Well, I don't feel comfortable using his money, Harry."

"Hermione, if we don't, the whole point of going into Hogsmeade today is pointless," Harry countered.

Hermione looked worriedly at the small pouch, seeming as if she was contemplating whether to use someone else's money or not.

"Think about this way: technically, James' money is my money, in a way," Harry said, looking at Hermione. "It's not stealing."

Hermione nodded her head a couple of times and the pair continued on with their breakfast.

After they had finished, the two Gryffindors made their way up to the third-floor corridor. The pair looked over their shoulders to see if there were any passersby but the hall was deserted. Harry moved the statue of the one-eyed witch; he let Hermione clamber in before him. After she was inside, he crawled in after her and moved the statue back in its place.

"I've never been here before," Hermione called out.

"It's not that bad. Here, let me go before you; the end of the passageway leads up to the cellar of Honeydukes." Harry took out his wand and said, " _LUMOS_." Instantly, his wand tip ignited a bright blue light, reflecting off of the old, stone walls of the dark passageway; he heard Hermione follow suit.

The two stayed silent as they made their way along the passageway. After walking for a long while, Harry felt the pathway trek slightly upward.

"We're nearly there," Harry called back over his shoulder. No sooner had he said that he found his head connecting with the floor of the cellar of Honeydukes.

"Ouch," Harry said, rubbing his head in comfort.

"Are you alright," Hermione called out.

"Yeah, I'm fine. _NOX_." The tip of Harry's wand went out. Harry took out the invisibility cloak and draped it over himself.

"Wait here for a moment, Hermione. I want to make sure the cellar is empty before you come up," Harry said to her.

Once he saw her nod her head in agreement, Harry cautiously removed the trapdoor and peeked up inside of the cellar. Crates and boxes met his eyes but he didn't see a moving person anywhere in his sight.

"Okay, I'm going to go up first and I want you to follow right behind me," Harry whispered back.

Harry climbed up out of the passageway and instantly turned back to help Hermione through; he grabbed her arm as she climbed out of the dark tunnel and Harry slipped the cloak over Hermione as well.

Once they moved the trapdoor back over its hiding place, the pair climbed up the rickety stairs of Honeydukes, trying to avoid the many boxes that littered the steps. They made their way from behind the counter and saw many students talking and gawking at the colossal selection of candy the store had to offer.

As they tried to make their way through the crowd, Harry had found it was quite difficult as there were so many students that were crowded into the small sweet shop. After a while, Harry, having grown agitated trying to avoid running into anybody, grabbed Hermione's hand and forced his way between two people.

Not expecting Harry's vigorous shove, the two students flew in opposite directions. As Harry and Hermione exited the store, they heard one of the students shout, "What's your problem, Thompson?"

Harry led Hermione behind a small building and took off the invisibility cloak and stuffed it in his jacket pocket.

"Are you alright, Harry," Hermione asked.

"Yeah, why?"

"You just seem flustered is all."

"Well it was like a standing room back there in Honeydukes. I was starting to think we would never make it out."

Hermione chuckled and the two walked back down the main avenue of the quaint village. Hermione led Harry over to J. Pippin's Potions shop where Harry followed Hermione around as she was the one who knew the exact supplies needed in order to concoct the Wolfsbane Potion.

Inside the shop, the floor was covered with nearly fifteen shelves filled from top to bottom with all types of ingredients needed for a wide array of potions. Harry saw a spindly staircase against the back wall of the shop leading up to a narrow second-floor landing that had a single door placed against the wall.

As Harry saw Hermione gazing up at one of the shelves, Harry, smiling slightly, suddenly said, "Oh no, Hermione! I forgot James' pouch back at Hogwarts!"

"You what?!"

Hermione whipped her head around and shot him a fierce gaze; as she brooded over their situation, Harry couldn't hold back his laughter. He bent forward and laughed freely, his smile stretching wide across his face.

"I'm just kidding, H-Hermione," Harry said between gales of laughter.

Hermione, who had visibly relaxed, retorted in a monotone voice, "Yes, I'm just rolling on the floor with amusement."

As Harry tried to rid himself of his laughter, Hermione collected sixteen different items off of the shelves and brought them up the counter.

As the store clerk rang up the items, Harry noticed his confusion growing in his features.

"Is this some N.E.W.T. level project you kids have going on," he asked them.

"Yes, it is actually," Hermione replied, looking up at the clerk.

He shook his head in astonishment and said, "The times have definitely changed since I was a pupil at Hogwarts."

After Harry paid the owner, the two made their way out of the shop.

"Do you need to get any more ingredients, Hermione," Harry asked.

"Yes, there were two things J. Pippin's Potions didn't have," she said, glancing around for another shop to go into. "Ah, right over here, then," Hermione said, noticing the Herbology shop, Dogweed and Deathcap.

The pair made their way under a gusty wind and chillier air over to the store. Once inside, Hermione quickly looked for the ingredients she couldn't purchase at J. Pippin's Potions. She found them rapidly and Harry used James' money to buy the items.

Exiting the shop, Harry asked, "Do you fancy a butterbeer, Hermione?"

Hermione had another contemplating look on her face as she replied, "Well, it isn't our money, Harry. I don't think we should spend it all. It doesn't feel right."

Harry looked down at the pouch James had left them this morning, wondering again why he would give them money in the first place.

"Well, I guess you're -," Harry began but he was cut off as he heard his and Hermione's name shouted about behind them.

The pair turned around to see Lily make her way up towards them. "Hey Harry and Hermione! Do you fancy a trip to the Three Broomsticks?"

"Actually, Harry and I were just discussing that," Hermione replied, giving Lily a small smile.

She smiled in return and said, "Well, come on then, let's go." The trio traveled up the cobblestone street, past four different shops and into the Three Broomsticks.

"Here, find an empty table and I'll get three butterbeers for us," Lily said as she rushed away to the crowded bar.

Harry led Hermione towards the back of the small pub and they sat down at an empty table waiting for Lily's return.

She came back a few moments later and handed Harry and Hermione two butterbeers to which they gave a small 'thanks' in return.

"I must say, I didn't expect to see the two of you in Hogsmeade today," Lily stated. "I mean, it's not that I'm not happy to see you two, but I remember you told me Hermione that you and Harry didn't have any permission."

"Well, we still don't, actually," Hermione replied slowly.

"Then how did you get out here? Security is a nightmare with everything that's going on with the war and such."

"Well, Harry and I had never been to Hogsmeade before and everyone was telling us it is the only all-wizarding village in Britain so we decided we just had to see it for ourselves."

"Yes, it is a rather enchanting village, especially around Christmas but how did the two of you get out of the castle undetected?"

Harry and Hermione both squirmed in their seats. Harry noticed Hermione was taking a sip of her butterbeer, seeming to try to buy time while she thought up of an answer.

Just as Harry was about to respond, he heard his name called out again. "Hey, Harry!" Harry looked over to find the source of his name being called and saw his father, or rather James, walk up to their table.

Hermione smiled politely over at him while Lily gave a loud scoff and rolled her eyes, taking a sip of her own butterbeer.

"Hey Hermione, Evans, how are you all doing," James asked, taking a seat across from Hermione and next to Lily. Harry noticed that his hair was more ruffled than usual and he was wearing a wide smile.

"I thought you had Quidditch tryouts," Harry asked.

"We finished early, actually, so I decided to come down here and take a break from Hogwarts," he replied. "So, how do you two like Hogsmeade?"

"Oh, I just love the village," Hermione replied, "It's so small yet comforting at the same time."

"Did you two get what you all needed," he asked.

"Yes, we did, and we both wanted to say thank you for providing us with money, although you didn't have to do that," Hermione replied.

Lily's eyes bulged at Hermione's comment as her head whipped over in James' direction. "You gave them money? Why?"

James shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly and replied, "I just thought it would be a good thing to do."

"Well, I must say I'm impressed, Potter. I guess your arrogance may be waning," Lily said with a hint of humor in her voice.

James' face turned a light shade of red as he rubbed the back of his head. "Well, it was nothing, really…," he finished lamely.

"So are the two of you adapting well to Hogwarts," Lily asked, motherly concern etched in both her facial features as well as in her tone of voice.

"Yeah, it's great," Harry replied.

Lily smiled over at him and said, "You have such a way with words." At this, their entire table erupted into laughter.

"Lily, are you going to Professor Slughorn's Christmas party," Hermione asked.

Harry turned his head towards Hermione and said, "You never told me about a Christmas party."

Hermione's cheeks turned pink as she replied, "Oh, well, I just remembered about it right now."

"Yeah, I think I'm going to go. I went last year and it was pretty fun. There are a lot of people that go," she replied.

James turned to look at Lily as he asked, "Having a party with a professor is 'fun'?"

"Well, I would say Professor Slughorn makes it fun. His other slug club meetings on the other hand are not. Wouldn't you agree, Hermione?"

"Oh, yes! During his last meeting with us, he went on and on about his personal connections within the ministry. I was bored to tears."

Lily laughed and said, "Yeah he does go on and on about who he knows and why they are so important to the wizarding world. Honestly, you'd think these people existed just to please Professor Slughorn!"

"Well, James, how did Quidditch practice go," Hermione asked.

"What? Oh, it went fine I'd say. We found a new Seeker and all and he looks pretty fit for the role."

"A new seeker? I thought you played the position of seeker," Harry asked.

James' eyes widened in surprise. "Me? Oh no, I'm chaser. Who told you I was seeker?"

"Oh, um, I think I heard Sirius say something about it," Harry said quickly, pulling up the first name that came to his head.

"Sirius? He knows I play chaser!"

"Yeah, well, maybe I heard him wrong," Harry stated.

Just then, Lily's name was called out by a small group of girls that had just walked into the Three Broomsticks.

"Well, as fun as this has been, I should get going," she said, getting up. "It was nice to see you Harry and Hermione," she said smiling. She turned to James, gave him a curt nod and said, "Potter."

As James' face broke into a wide smile she shook her head and walked over to the group of girls and together, they exited the pub.

Harry let out a long breath he had been holding. "What," James asked.

"She was asking us how we got out of the castle without any permission forms," Harry answered.

"You didn't tell her, did you?"

"Of course not. We were trying to think up of an answer when you arrived, actually," Harry replied.

"Oh, well then, you're welcome."

Hermione scoffed as she said, "Excuse me?"

"You're welcome. I saved the two of you from probably a week of detentions," James replied good-naturedly.

"Well, actually, I think we saved you from either suspension of expulsion for not letting anyone know about the secret passageway," Hermione said back.

James snorted as he said, "Please, I wouldn't get expelled for something as trivial as that!"

"Maybe not but there's only one way to find out," Hermione taunted.

James' eyebrows shot up to his hairline as he said, "Is that a challenge, Granger?"

She rolled her eyes as Harry intervened and said, "Why did you leave us a pouch of money, James? I mean, it was really nice of you and all but why?"

"Well, I just thought I should help out with the Wolfsbane Potion and all. Hermione said she would brew it so I thought I'd chip in my share and assist in buying the ingredients. You did get them, didn't you?"

"Yes, we got all of them. But, thanks," Harry said again.

"No problem, mate. After all, I do consider the two of you friends of mine no matter what Sirius thinks. I think it's a good thing the two of you took an initiative to help Remus out with his transformation and all," James said. "It's very Gryffindor-like."

He gave them a small smile to which they returned in full. "Anyway, I think I'll head back now. When you two come back, just leave the cloak on my bed, Harry." James stood up to leave. Before he walked out the door, he turned around and waved at them which they returned.

"Well, that was rather interesting," Hermione said.

"What was?"

"Honestly," Hermione said under her breath. "Come on, I'll explain it to you on the way back."

The pair stood up from their table and walked out of the Three Broomsticks. Once outside on the wide lane, Hermione said, "Lily took notice of James' lending us money."

"And that's a good think I take it," Harry asked.

"Well, it certainly isn't a bad thing. I could tell by the expression on her face. She was rather surprised James would do something like that. She usually sees him as arrogant and pig-headed but today, when she found out about him lending us his money, it seemed like her hostility towards him vanished."

"Well, temporarily vanished. You saw how she said good-bye to him, didn't you," Harry remarked as Hermione gave him a small laugh.

Together, the pair walked past shop windows which by now had their lights turned on against the darkening sky. Harry looked up and saw small tufts of purple and pink clouds situated at different intervals in the sky.

Harry stuck out his arm and looked over at Hermione. She gave him a warm smile and tucked her arm within his. The pair strolled down the near empty street, with bright yellow lights of shop windows lighting their path, while a blazing sunset had erupted in bright colors ahead of them.

On they walked content with the silence that had settled between them. As Hermione turned to Harry to make a remark about the beautiful setting sun, she saw he was staring at her, all traces of a smile gone. Bright green eyes locked with warm, brown irises as the fiery red ball of fire sank under the horizon.

Well, let me tell you, I had so much fun writing this chapter. I know it is a lot longer than my previous chapters but I couldn't find a good place to end it so I decided to keep writing. Anyway, this also compensates because I will not be able to post another chapter until **NEXT THURSDAY**. I know it's quite a long wait but life is busy. Rest assured that Chapter 10 is a work in progress and again, it will be posted **NEXT THURSDAY**. Don't forget to leave a review to tell me what you thought about Chapter 9!


	10. A Second Chance

Harry Potter and a Marauder Revival

Chapter 10: A Second Chance

Darkness overtook the sky; the temperature in the still air seemed to plummet to colder, unexplored levels. All was quiet in the wide lane of Hogsmeade Village with the shop's lights growing brighter and brighter upon the rising dark night.

Harry and Hermione stood facing one another, their gazes locked on each other. They seemed as if they were the last two people left in the village, although it felt they could be the last two people left on the planet.

There was no hint of a question in Harry's burning green eyes, only determination while Hermione's face gave way to some trepidation and uncertainty. Both of their hearts started beating faster and faster, the air surrounding the pair growing chillier as the moments seemed to creep by like a shadow in the night.

Harry had leaned his face down towards Hermione, closing the gap between them slowly. Mere inches away from her face, he gave her one last, searching look before they both shut their eyes.

Growing closer and closer, Harry waited until his lips met with Hermione's. They now could each feel each other's breaths on their faces until _RING, RING_. The door of a nearby shop clambered open, shocking both Harry and Hermione that the pair jumped apart by the sudden and unexpected noise.

Harry looked around and saw a middle-aged woman exiting the greengrocer's store, The Magic Neep, carrying a large brown bag full of fresh vegetables and herbs.

Harry stole a quick glance over at Hermione whose cheeks were burning a severe red; he reasoned he looked no better.

"Well, then…um, shall we head back then," Harry asked Hermione.

Hermione gave a small start at the sound of Harry's voice. She looked up at him and gave a small nod as she replied, "Yeah, sure."

The pair walked up the wide lane towards Honeydukes. Harry looked over at Hermione again and frowned when he saw her hugging herself instead of having re-hooked her arm back within his.

"Are you cold?"

"What? Oh, um, no, I'm fine, actually," she replied quietly, peeking over at him.

Harry nodded his head once and the two continued on in silence. Harry couldn't help but feel extremely confused by what had almost transpired: he had almost kissed his best friend.

Although there have been misunderstandings about his relationship he shared with Hermione before, mainly from Victor Krum, Ron, and Mrs. Weasley, the bond they shared together was a mark of fierce loyalty and friendship…so Harry thought.

Never had Harry felt anything more than friendship with Hermione however maybe there was something hidden deep within Harry that was just now threatening to surface. Could he, Harry Potter, have romantic feelings for Hermione Granger?

After all, being as close as they have been ever since first year, were these new feelings to be expected from the pair of students?

As Harry mulled over these new, unfounded thoughts, Hermione cried out, "Oh no, Harry! We're locked out!"

Harry's attention whipped back to the present as he followed the direction Hermione's finger was pointing: a 'closed' sign hung in the window of Honeydukes, there one escape route back into Hogwarts castle.

"Well we could try and walk back to Hogwarts," Harry suggested.

"The gates will probably be closed by now," Hermione replied, looking up at the dark sky.

Harry took out his wand when Hermione intervened, "Harry, what are you doing?"

"I have to let us in, haven't I? We can't stay out in Hogsmeade for the night," he replied, looking back into the worry that now filled Hermione's wide eyes.

"Don't you think we should put on the invisibility cloak first, just in case someone sees us?"

Harry thought about this for a short moment and said, "Yeah, you're probably right." Hermione grabbed his hand and led him down a small, dark alley.

Harry retrieved his father's invisibility cloak from his jacket pocket and draped it over himself and Hermione.

The pair walked back over to the front door of the sweet shop; Harry took out his wand again, pointed it at the keyhole and whispered, " _ALOHOMORA_ ," and the door swung open with a small creaking sound.

The two invisible Gryffindor's stepped over the threshold of the quiet shop. Hermione closed the door softly behind her.

Once the door had shut itself to small village outside, Harry and Hermione were cast in total blackness with the only light provided to them was from the large window situated at the front of the store. The shop's yellow lights that hung outside the door gave way to small slivers of light rays that shone through the window and onto the wooden floor of Honeydukes.

The couple silently made their way past rows of shelves filled with sweets of all kinds. Harry looked to his side at one of the candies; when he did so, however, he walked directly into the store's low counter.

"Ouch," Harry cried out, as he knee collided with its hard surface.

"Are you alright," Hermione asked, her voice whispered quietly in his ear.

"Yeah, I'm fine," he mumbled back, rubbing his now sore knee.

After walking beyond the counter and past the door that led down in the cellar, the two students warily made their way down the rickety staircase, wincing as each step they took, the stairs creaked like a lone ghost, wailing into the silent night.

Once they made their way onto the stone floor of the cellar, Harry crept out from under the cloak and opened the passageway which looked like an endless pit.

Harry whispered, " _LUMOS_ ," and his wand tip ignited immediately. "Climb in before me, Hermione," he said. She took off the cloak, handed it to him while she nodded in agreement, and climbed in.

Harry stuffed the cloak into his jacket pocket and climbed in after Hermione, shutting the passageway closed behind him.

"Well, that could've gone a lot worse," Harry said, smiling in amusement.

"Yes, well, at least we're heading back now," Hermione said back.

"Are you alright Hermione," Harry asked, noticing she had been quiet ever since sunset.

"Yeah, why?"

"You just seem quiet is all," he replied.

Hermione laughed once and said back, "Well, I can't say you're keeping up with your end of the conversation."

He smiled at her playful banter she could still share with him ever after the two had almost kissed.

"How worried do you think James and Sirius will be," Hermione asked.

"Why would they be worried?"

"The invisibility cloak is an extremely rare item. I'm sure James will be worried that we suddenly disappeared with it and I'm positive Sirius was surprised at James when he agreed to lend it to us," Hermione said knowingly.

"Yeah, well, I guess we have to give it back if I want to have a chance at escaping Hogwarts in the future," Harry said jokingly.

Hermione gave a huff and replied, "Well, you shouldn't be sneaking out of the castle anyway, especially given that Voldemort is now back."

"And what about now? Voldemort is creating chaos here in this time too, Hermione."

Hermione stopped in her tracks, turned around and looked at Harry. "I guess it's always dangerous for you, then, no matter what time we are in."

"Well, it's not so bad when you think about everyone I have with me, whether it's James, Lily, Ron, and you."

Hermione gave him a small smile in return while she replied, "Sometime, Harry, in the future, I believe there will be a time when you don't have to worry about Voldemort or about Death Eaters. You will only worry about normal problems, for once, that is of course if one can classify our problems as normal."

"It's definitely hard going on, not knowing what tomorrow will bring since Voldemort came back and all. But I guess we can't be at all surprised since Dumbledore has said he would try to return again," Harry told Hermione.

Hermione's smile faded as she nodded, turned back around, and walked on through the passageway. After a few minutes of complete silence, Hermione suddenly said, "Harry, I think someone is coming our way."

Harry looked past Hermione's shoulder and he saw a bright blue light slowly approach them. He moved in front of Hermione, trying to make out where the sudden bright light was coming from.

"Who's there," Harry called out, taking out his wand.

"There you two are! I was worried you had lost your way in the village!" James' face appeared abruptly as he lowered his ignited wand, a large smile of what looked like relief etched across his face.

"You two have been gone ages! Students are supposed to be back before nightfall, you know," James told the two of them.

"Oh, right," Harry said, "We got a little side-tracked, I guess."

"Side-tracked by what," he asked back, a hint of doubt laced within his voice.

"We were having a look at the Shrieking Shack when we noticed the village had gone quiet. When we made our way back to Honeydukes, it was already closed," Hermione said at once; Harry was impressed by her quick thinking-skills.

"Right…well come on, then," James replied, waving his hand forward. "Also, you have invisibility cloak, right Harry?"

"Yeah," Harry replied. He looked back at Hermione who gave him another knowing look, as she had correctly deduced James would be worried about his rare artifact.

"Did you two get what you needed for the Wolfsbane Potion," James asked, leading the way down the dark passageway.

"You already asked us that," Hermione replied.

"What?"

"I said, back in the Three Broomsticks, you already had asked us if we got all of the ingredients," Hermione said.

"And is there some sort of law forbidding me to ask again," James replied.

Hermione rolled her eyes and said, "Yes, James, we got all of the ingredients."

"Yeah, my mind has been elsewhere ever since I got back to Hogwarts."

Harry looked over at his father and asked, "Why?"

"Because Evans has been questioning me about how the two of you actually escaped from the castle! She keeps hounding me with all sorts of questions and theories…I feel as if I'm being questioned by the Wizengamot before being shipped off to Azkaban! It's a nightmare."

Harry laughed loudly as Hermione asked, "So how are we going to avoid her questioning us?"

"That is something I do not have the answer to, Hermione. But be warned, at her first opportunity, she's going to question the two of you again. She's one to strictly follow the rules…something I think you would abide by, Hermione."

"Of course I follow the rules! This was just one time and we only went so we could help Remus," she retorted, growing flustered at James insinuation that Hermione broke the rules on a regular basis.

"So when are thinking about starting to brew it," James asked, changing the topic quickly.

"I was thinking we could start either tomorrow or Monday."

"And where, may I ask, are you to brew a potion without getting caught," James asked, looking back at Hermione.

"The second-floor girls' lavatory," Harry and Hermione replied in unison.

"The what," James asked. "Why on earth would you brew a potion in there and what do you know of the second-floor girls' lavatory Harry?"

Harry grew wide-eyed at his mistake when Hermione intervened by saying, "I went in there the first week of term. A ghost named Moaning Myrtle haunts the loo so no one ever goes in there."

"A ghost actually haunts one of the bathrooms in Hogwarts," James asked incredulously. "And all this time, I thought Remus was giving us a go!"

"Remus knows about Moaning Myrtle," Harry asked.

"Well, I don't think he knows her name but he's heard her several times when patrolling the corridors at night."

"James, I think we should also tell Remus about the potion," Hermione said.

"And when do you think we should do that?"

"Soon…very soon. I don't know if he's going to trust us or not about the potion," Hermione replied, nervousness sifting through her voice.

"I'm sure he will. We just have to tell him it's for his benefit and that it won't harm him to drink the potion," James replied confidentially.

Silence had then ensued among the trio as they walked on through the passageway. A long while later, they finally found themselves stepping out from behind the bust of the one-eyed witch and into the wide and empty third-floor corridor of the castle.

Hermione took in a deep breath and let it out slowly, a smile gracing her face. "Are you okay, Hermione," James asked, looking over at her.

She nodded, "Yes, but being in that musty passageway for as long as we have, it just feels great to breathe in the fresh air again."

"Right," James started, shaking his head and walking down the corridor towards Gryffindor tower.

As James walked forward, Harry and Hermione walked on together. Harry had wanted to talk about what had nearly happened back in Hogsmeade Village but he didn't want James to know about it; in fact, he didn't want anyone to know about it. It felt like a personal, fragile secret between him and Hermione.

When Harry noticed James had walked on farther ahead of him he seizied his opportunity; Harry opened his mouth to talk to Hermione when he was instantly cut off by James.

"Say Hermione? What do you know of Slughorn's Christmas party?"

Annoyed, Harry heard Hermione say, "What of it?"

Ahead of them, James had stopped walking and was staring off at nothing in particular. "I just want to know about it is all."

"Well, Professor Slughorn said many of his personal contacts from within the ministry are going to be there along with some other professors and some famous Quidditch players he once taught at Hogwarts. We are actually allowed to bring guests too."

James turned to her and asked, "You are allowed to bring guests?"

Hermione nodded her head in confirmation. A small smile crept its way upon James' face as he hurried off away from the pair.

"What was that about," Hermione asked.

"I have no idea," Harry responded. "Anyway, Hermione, I need to talk to you."

"What about, Harry," Hermione asked, stopping to look over at him.

He shifted his feet nervously as he responded, "About what we almost did back in Hogsmeade."

"Oh," Hermione said quietly, her cheeks starting to burn a ferocious red. "Yes, well, um, shall we pretend that that never happened?"

Harry was taken aback by her response; in reality, Harry wanted to tell her that he had indeed wanted to kiss her. Perhaps this whole charade was a one-sided ordeal: maybe Hermione actually did not share feelings for Harry as he currently shares for her.

"Well, I guess we could do that, if you're okay with it," Harry responded, not meeting her eyes.

"Yes, um, I guess I'm alright with that," she clarified again, nodding and walking away from him.

Harry had observed before that maybe his best mate, Ron, and Hermione had shared feelings for one another. Maybe Harry was not destined to have a relationship other than friendship with Hermione; it was probable that she could end up with Ron.

As a small bout of anger mixed in with depression overcame him; he trudged on behind Hermione, trying to sort through his thoughts.

Their footsteps echoed loudly off of the wide corridors as Harry had resigned himself that his feelings for Hermione would eventually go away. The more and more he willed himself to stop thinking of Hermione, the harder it was to actually do so.

Harry and Hermione came upon the portrait of The Fat Lady. "Wattlebird," Hermione said, giving the password into Gryffindor tower.

The Fat Lady, who seemed to have dozed off, did not hear her. She looked over at Harry who gave a shrug. "Wattlebird," Harry said, slightly more forcefully.

At this, the Fat Lady awoke, her eyes fluttering open. When she looked down at Harry and Hermione she said, "And what on earth are the two of you doing up at this late hour? Waltzing about the empty halls of Hogwarts castle, are you? I have never seen such refutable behavior before by Gryffindors, such as you! Shame on those who raised you to have such little tolerance -,"

"Wattlebird!" Harry shouted the password over the lecture the Fat Lady was giving.

After giving him a rather cold stare, she granted entry to Harry and Hermione. After the two stepped over the threshold, the portrait slammed shut behind them.

"Well I guess we now know not to come back to Gryffindor tower after hours," Hermione said with a small laugh.

"Yeah, I guess not," Harry replied, looking everywhere but at Hermione. "Well, I should head up to bed then," Harry mumbled, walking over to the staircase leading up to his dormitory.

Right before Harry could step onto the staircase, Hermione called out, "Harry, wait!"

He paused and turned around to see Hermione's arms folded across her chest, concern echoing off of her facial features.

"Listen, I wanted to tell you that I'm sorry. I just had so much fun this afternoon back in Hogsmeade and I feel like I somehow ruined our day together. You have been acting differently ever since James left the two of us alone in the corridor."

"You have no need to apologize, Hermione. I just…well, I don't really know how I feel right now, actually. I guess I've never been one to share emotion of any kind."

"Do you think that has to do with you growing up with your aunt and uncle," Hermione asked, looking at Harry wearily.

"Probably to some degree," he nodded. "But it's not a big deal. I think it would be best for the both of us to forget what might've happened earlier today. I don't think it's worth it to risk our friendship over."

Hermione looked as if she wanted to respond but instead she kept silent. She walked up to Harry and asked, "Do you want to come with me to Professor Slughorn's Christmas party?"

He looked down at her, happiness seeping up through his limbs and into his heart.

"I know that it is quite random to ask you about it just now, but I've been wanting to ask you ever since I found out about the party. I think it might be fun, you know, if the two of us went together."

Harry smiled down and replied, "I think that's actually a great idea, Hermione." She smiled back up at Harry.

"Well then, I think I'll head up to bed," Hermione said awkwardly, stepping around Harry who seemed to be glued to a spot on the floor.

As Hermione bade Harry 'good night,' Harry thought to himself that until he and Hermione had to go back to their own time, he could look forward to accompanying Hermione to Professor Slughorn's Christmas party.

As the midnight hour rolled on by, Harry made a deal with himself that he would tell Hermione how he truly thought about her…even if it meant risking her friendship because in the end, it might be worth it.

Well, here is Chapter 10 to "Harry Potter and a Marauder Revival!" Chapter 11 is a work-in-progress and will be posted **TOMORROW NIGHT**. We have a Quidditch match to look forward to along with who Lily will ask to go with her to Slughorn's Christmas party. We are approaching a tipping point in my story in which many questions will be answered and many questions will be run anew. Let me know what you guys thought of Chapter 10 with a review!


	11. Games of Wits

Harry Potter and a Marauder Revival

Chapter 11: Games of Wits

The following day, Hermione led Harry down to the second-floor girl's lavatory with a cauldron in one hand and the necessary ingredients in the other. Pushing the door wide open, Hermione purposefully set their belongings down in one sink while Harry looked over at the basins.

Here was the entrance into the infamous Chamber of Secrets. Back in his second year, young Ginny Weasley was taken as a prisoner down into the depths of the ancient castle, her mind entranced by an old journal left behind by Tom Riddle, where he nearly came back very much alive.

Harry shook these thoughts out of his head, not wanting to relive the horrors the chamber's monster unleashed upon a fair number of the students at Hogwarts, including Hermione. Remembering this, Harry peered around the bend to see if Myrtle would appear.

Not a moment later, a light, blue figure floated out of one the stalls. Dressed in Hogwarts robes emblazoned with the Ravenclaw Crest, brown eyes peered out of her round spectacles.

"Oh, hello Harry," the ghost said sweetly, eyeing Harry with a small giggle.

"Hello Myrtle, erm, how have you been doing?"

"Well, if I am to be honest with you, quite distraught…you see, you haven't visited me for a long time," she said, shaking her head from side to side, her pigtails swinging madly.

"Yes, well, I guess I've been rather occupied," Harry said, choosing his words carefully as to not upset the ghost.

Hermione settled the black cauldron down on the floor of the bathroom and scattered the ingredients around it in a semi-circle.

"Oh, are you here to brew something again," Myrtle asked in her upmost sweet-like voice.

Harry looked to Hermione, wondering if she had told Myrtle about brewing yet another potion in the bathroom.

Hermione glanced quickly over at Harry before she replied, "Something like that. Myrtle, I need you to keep this a secret, just in case anyone comes in here."

"Well, you didn't see me screaming about what you three did in your second year, now did you," Myrtle asked, crossing her arms over her chest with her nose in the air. "If you think I'm such a blabber-mouth then perhaps I should go alert the other toilets."

"No," Harry and Hermione said together. Myrtle smiled with a wicked grin across her face.

"Oh, Harry, I knew you didn't want me to leave," Myrtle replied, gazing down at Harry with a hungry look flashing in her eyes.

Harry stared incredulously at the ghost as her smile grew ever wider. "Right, well, anyway, how long did you say this potion was going to take to brew, Hermione?"

"I didn't," she replied shortly, holding up a vial against the sunlight streaming through one of the lavatory's wide windows. "But it should take about a week and a half to brew properly and we need to let it sit for another five days."

"What are you two brewing," Myrtle asked curiously, floating down to where Harry and Hermione were bent over the cauldron, peeking her head around theirs to see the contents situated inside.

"It's the Wolfsbane Potion," Hermione replied, dumping two vials of purple liquid into the small black pot.

"What is that?"

"It's just a potion to help with…transformation," Hermione replied carefully.

"What kind of transformation?"

"Just transformation is all," Hermione looked over at Harry with mild worry.

Suddenly, a soft knock was heard on the door. Three heads turned at the sound of the noise. Hermione hastily gathered up the ingredients she so neatly placed on the floor upon her entrance into the bathroom while Harry wondered who on earth would knock on a bathroom door.

"Harry, we mustn't let anyone see what we're doing," Hermione whispered feverishly, now throwing the ingredients into a bag.

"Oh, don't worry, I'll take care of that," Myrtle said, beaming widely, "COME IN!"

"Myrtle," Harry scolded when the bathroom door swung slowly open and James popped his head inside.

"Harry, Hermione? Are you two in here," he whispered, covering his eyes with one of his hands.

Hermione let out a long breath as Harry replied, "Yeah, it's just us, James." His father uncovered his eyes and smiled widely at the pair of them, looking flustered at their intruder.

"Oh, I see you've gotten started already," James said, looking at the cauldron on the floor which was now issuing a steady stream of pink smoke into the air.

"Harry?" Both Harry and James turned to face Myrtle who had a puzzled look on her face.

"Oh, I'm sorry, it's just that you two look so much like each other," Myrtle said as Harry felt a growing unease build in the base of his stomach.

"Yeah, so we have heard," James replied, looking over at Harry.

"Are the two of you related by any chance," the ghost asked, looking interestedly from James to Harry; Harry saw Hermione's head jerk up out of the corner of his eye at Myrtle's question.

Harry squirmed uncomfortably while James replied, "No relation as far as I'm concerned. Although, I'm sure if we told people we were brothers, they would believe us!"

"Not just brothers, more like twins," Myrtle replied jovially, clasping her hands together in front of her and cocking her head to one side.

"James, could you pass me the small jar by your feet," Hermione cut-in rather forcefully to end Myrtle's questioning.

"Sure," he said, reaching down and picking up a small glass jar filled with wormwood. After James handed her the small container, Hermione took a small pinch of its contents and gently placed it in the cauldron, emitting a small _SWOOSH_.

James turned his head from Hermione to look at Myrtle. "So, you're the ghost then that Remus has talked about?"

Harry noticed Myrtle's smile disappeared in an instant from her face as she unclasped her hands, placed them at her sides, and balled them into small fists of fury.

"Well, it looks that way, doesn't it," she said with a rather ugly-sounding snort. "It's not as if you haven't seen one before; Hogwarts has ghosts all around," she replied, her voice steadily rising with every word she spoke.

"True but they usually move around, don't they? Remus has said you just walk around the girl's lavatories…um, well, I mean, float around the girl's lavatories," James corrected himself.

With that, Myrtle gave a howl of fury, flew directly in front of James' face and said, "How dare you? Mocking the dead, I see, must be a favorite pastime for this awful generation of Hogwart's students!"

James' eyebrows were furrowed together in confusion as Myrtle departed from the bathroom, flying wildly in the air before diving into a toilet, sloshing water over the stone floor of the bathroom.

Hermione looked up at James with a small smile on her face as she said, "I guess Remus forgot to tell you she's a little sensitive."

"Yes, well, let's hope no one else antagonizes her, then," James replied. Harry smiled slightly, remembering that Ron would also be confronted by Myrtle not even two decades later after he would comment about Myrtle not being able to feel pain as she was just a ghost.

"So how long have the two of you been in here," James asked.

"About ten minutes or so," Harry replied. James looked over at him and gave a small smile.

"You know something? Looking at you Harry is like looking into a mirror," James said.

Harry gave a shaky laugh and said, "Yeah, fancy that."

"You know, in the muggle world, there's this belief that everyone has a double, meaning some people who have no relation to each other whatsoever look like each other as if they could be twins," Hermione said, not looking at either one of them. "That theory probably pertains to you two."

"I've never heard of that before," James said.

"Well, I did say 'in the muggle world,' James. You are a pureblood," Hermione replied back.

"How do you know that? I don't ever recall telling you my blood status," he said, scrutinizing her.

Her cheeks instantly flared a light shade of red as Harry intervened on her behalf and said, "We overheard some Slytherin's talk about it. They seemed obsessed with blood purity and all."

James put his hands on his hips and replied, "Yeah, that lot is consumed with the purification of the wizard race, those prats. That's why Sirius abandoned his family."

"He what," Harry asked.

"Sirius left his family. Sirius also comes from a pureblood background but his family preached to him and his younger brother about preserving the pure-blood race. Little did his parents know that their words went in one ear and out the other with him," James told them.

"And what about his brother," Harry asked, having never heard Sirius speak about his brother before.

"Yes, young Regulus Black ended up on the opposite end of the spectrum from Sirius. He took in their parent's words and favored blood purification; Sirius doesn't speak much about him, actually."

"That's horrible," Hermione said, "To have a brother whom you never speak to over something as foolish as blood purification."

"I know…this war with Voldemort and his Death Eaters is ripping families apart; I just hope that whatever future family I have, we will not be destroyed by this war, that we can survive it and leave in peace."

Harry and Hermione shared uncomfortable looks with each other. Little did James know those just mere years later, his family would be nearly completely obliterated.

"Anyway, how long does this potion take to brew, Hermione," James asked, leaning against one of the bathroom stalls.

"Well, to concoct properly, it is going to take about a week and a half. Afterwards, we need to let it sit for an extra five days."

"Any ideas on how we should tell Remus," Harry asked.

James shook his head as Hermione did the same. They needed a plan in which Remus could be able to trust both Harry and Hermione's potion skills as well as having him believe James told Harry and Hermione out of goodwill.

"I think the opportunity will present itself in due time; when that time comes, then we can tell Remus about the potion," Hermione offered.

"Well, that sounds good to me, then," James replied while Harry nodded in agreement. "Hopefully, we can tell him sooner rather than later."

However, during the week, no opportunity arose in which to talk to Remus about the Wolfsbane Potion. What made it more difficult was the fact that the Marauders never talked about his werewolf transformation out in public so as to not frighten any of the younger students.

Nonetheless, each morning and night, Harry and Hermione dutifully returned to the second-floor girl's bathroom to add in other ingredients or just to give the potion a few stirs even with the mounting homework their professors gave them each night.  
As always, Myrtle would hover near them, particularly close to Harry, he would notice uncomfortably, and make either sly comments about who this strange potion was for or comment on the fact that Harry was always invited to share her toilet with her.

The days of the week once again proved to be dismal with heavy rain lashing out over the grounds of Hogwarts, obscuring the sun.

Friday night at dinner, James approached Harry and Hermione in the Great Hall with a big smile on his face.

"So are the two of you ready for tomorrow," he asked, giddy with excitement.

"What's happening tomorrow," Hermione asked.

"I thought you were the smart one, Granger," James replied as Hermione placed her hands on her hips and huffed in exasperation. Laughing at her response, he said, "Tomorrow is Quidditch! The first match of the season! And it's against Slytherin."

Harry felt his enthusiasm soar but then remembered he wasn't on the team…well not in this time era anyway.

Hermione rolled her eyes and said, "Honestly, is Quidditch that important to you? It's just a silly little game."

James stared open-mouthed at her and replied, "Quidditch is just a 'silly little game'? Granger, that hurts."

Harry smiled at his father's reaction; he wasn't surprised by Hermione's comments as she had had similar conversations with him and Ron the year previously.

"So then I take it you won't come down to watch the match," James asked.

"No, I'll be there, I just don't understand where all of this rush of anticipation and longing for flying on broomsticks comes from."

"Yes, well, it's hard to explain. It's just the feeling and exhilaration of riding high in the air on a broomstick; feeling the wind whistle in your ears as your streak past your opponents; or the thrill of flying high into the sky and looking back down just to see how high up you actually are…it's incredible! Anyway, I've got to go over some last minute plans with the team; see you two tomorrow!"

With that, James departed from the hall, waving his hand behind him in 'good-bye.' Harry sighed loudly which caused Hermione to look over at him.

"You want to play, don't you," Hermione asked gently.

Harry nodded his head, answering her. "It's one of the things I love about Hogwarts, is the ability to play Quidditch. It's another factor that makes me feel like I'm at home."

Hermione gave him a tight smile and replied, "Shall we go up to bed then?" Harry nodded again and the couple exited the Great Hall and trudged up the staircases towards Gryffindor Tower.

The following morning, the mood in the Great Hall was one of extreme eagerness and exhilaration. Every time a Gryffindor team member would enter the Great Hall, Gryffindor table erupted in cheers and loud applause while a loud chorus of name-calling would issue from the Slytherin table.

After breakfast, Harry and Hermione walked down to the Quidditch pitch together along with the rest of the school. Most people they passed seemed to be supporting Gryffindor, with various students decked out in the classic house colors of gold and scarlet.

The day was cloudy with a brisk chill making students turn up the collars of their robes. Much like the rest of the week that preceded the game, the sun was nowhere to be seen.

As Harry and Hermione took their place in the stands, it seemed as if the entire school had chosen sides: the Hufflepuffs and about one quarter of the Ravenclaws were supporting Gryffindor while the rest held Slytherin's in high spirit.

Harry saw the two rival teams step out onto the pitch with Madam Hooch in between them, giving out last minute instructions and forcing the two team captains to shake hands.

Harry spotted his father and from his place in the stands, the two really could have been identical twins; they were about the same height, both wore glasses, and while Harry's hair was slightly shorter than James', both were untidy and messy.

Right before the game began, Lily pushed her way through the crowd and stood next to Hermione.

"Hello, Lily," Hermione said, giving her a wide smile.

"Hello Hermione, Harry; it seems like we haven't spoken in ages! The professors are really laying on the homework on us," she replied.

"Yes, I've noticed that too! Did you start your essay for Professor Slughorn yet," Hermione asked.

Just as Lily was about to reply, Harry cut in and said, "Are you two seriously talking about homework during a Quidditch game? Really?"

Both girls looked over at Harry and rolled their eyes simultaneously muttering something about 'boys' and 'just a game.'

Madam Hooch blew into her whistle, signaling the beginning of the game. Fourteen brooms shot off into the air with loud cheers emitting from all of the watching students.

Blurs of both scarlet and green bolted from one end of the field to the other, each team vying for the first goal of the season.

"Come on, James, knock them off of their brooms if you have to," a voice roared a few rows in front of Harry, Hermione, and Lily.

Harry saw the voice belonged to Sirius who then yelled out again, "Those stinking toerags deserve a good kick in the -,"

Suddenly, Professor McGonagall appeared, seeming to come out of nowhere as she interrupted, "Mr. Black! What is the meaning of such foolishness? Five points from Gryffindor for acting like a wild baboon. Please take control of yourself!" With that, she walked away while Harry's shoulders shook with laughter.

Turning his attention back to the game, Harry spotted James flying as if he was floating on thin air. There was something so surreal to see his father fly in a Quidditch game, hearing only stories from Sirius and Remus growing up.

His father had an air on confidence that surrounded him when he was flying on a broomstick, something Hagrid had also said of Harry.

With the quaffle tucked under his right arm, James steered his broomstick over one of the high towers of the stadium, having two Slytherin's hot on his tail. The three figures flew over the tower and plummeted with sudden speed back towards the ground.

James lifted the handle of his broomstick with ease, skirting over the grass of the pitch, flying with haste towards the Slytherin goalposts.

Flying with impressive speed, James thundered the quaffle at the post; it flew in between the Slytherin keeper's hands and he scored.

A loud bell rang around the stadium causing the Gryffindors to cheer wildly while the Slytherin's groaned in frustration.

A Slytherin beater slugged a bludger over at a Gryffindor chaser. She dodged it, but lost control of her broom as she crashed into the stands, bowling over two entire rows of Ravenclaws.

In the meantime, the Gryffindor keeper had saved three goal attempts from the Slytherin chasers.

James had control of the quaffle again as he raced down the field, his black hair and scarlet robes streaking behind him. A Slytherin chaser and beater flew over to him with frightening momentum.

James, noticing his two approaching adversaries, rolled his broom upside down at the last possible moment, causing the two Slytherins to crash into each other and they both fell onto the hard ground.

Sirius called out jovially as James scored his second goal of the game. Harry, Hermione, and Lily clapped their hands in support, Harry wishing with all of his might he could be flying on his broomstick, playing Quidditch with his father.

The Gryffindor and Slytherin seekers flew at opposite ends of the pitch, their eyes hungrily searching for the Golden Snitch that would earn their respective teams an extra one-hundred and fifty points and bring about the end of the game.

As the Slytherins scored a goal, the two seekers suddenly bolted wildly towards the middle of the pitch. All eyes were on the approaching red and green blur, headed for the exact same location.

"Oh no, they're going to crash," Hermione cried out, gripping Harry's arm tightly. Harry had thought so to until the Slytherin seeker pulled away at the last second, not willing to risk serious injury had he kept his course.

Right before the Gryffindor seeker could close his hand around the Golden Snitch, it darted away from him and flew over the heads of Harry, Hermione, and Lily.

The next second, Harry pulled Hermione down as the seeker streaked overhead, following the tiny golden ball with his hand outstretched.

The snitch circled around a high tower and flew back into the middle of the pitch. A Slytherin beater botled another bludger over at the opposing seeker; the bludger crashed into the stands, sending splinters of wood debris flying into the air as the seeker darted sideways to avoid the collision.

By now, the Slytherin seeker had taken the lead towards the snitch, stretching out his hand towards the fluttering ball.

Hermione's hands were still gripping solidly onto Harry's arm as a Gryffindor beater whacked a bludger over at the Slytherin seeker. The solid ball connected with the back of his shoulder.

With a cry of pain, the Gryffindor seeker took advantage and caught the snitch. Madam Hooch blew into her whistle, indicating the end of the game.

The Gryffindors gave out a cry of celebration as the team rushed over to their seeker giving him pats on the back as well as their own congratulations.

Hermione and Lily had hugged one another. Hermione turned and gave Harry a fierce hug too. Momentarily surprised, he stiffened, then relaxed, returning her hug.

As the pair broke apart, they smiled shyly at one another, neither one of them noticing Lily's beaming face.

Dinner that night was a noisy affair at the Gryffindor table with many of the students reliving the excitement of that afternoon's Quidditch game.

As students began to taper off back to their dormitory, Harry and Hermione were left sitting with James, Lily, Sirius, Remus, and Peter.

Hermione and Lily were whispering to each other. As James looked over at them, he asked, "What are they talking about?"

"Probably about Professor Slughorn's essay, I imagine," Harry replied, "They started talking about it before the game, actually."

Sirius rolled his eyes as James shook his head in exasperation as he said, "Leave it to Evans to suck the fun out of everything."

Hermione and Lily started giggling in which Sirius suggested to them, "Why don't you two take the night off from talking about homework? It wouldn't kill you, you know."

"Excuse me, Sirius, but we weren't talking about homework, thank you very much," Lily said, scowling over at him.

"Then what are the two of you talking about," he asked.

"We're just talking about Professor Slughorn's Christmas party is all," Hermione replied; James' head perked up at Hermione's revelation.

"Yes, Hermione was just telling me about her date," Lily said, smiling slightly over at Harry; Harry felt his cheeks burn in embarrassment.

"Do you have a date to that thing yet, Evans," James called out; Harry saw a hint of nervousness pass over his face before quickly disappearing.

"No, but I was thinking about asking someone, actually," she replied.

"No worries, I accept," James said, smiling over at her.

"Excuse me?"

"I said, I accept your invitation to attend Slughorn's party with you," he replied casually.

"Sorry to burst your bubble, Potter, but I had no intention of asking you," Lily replied angrily, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Evans, let's be honest with each other: who would you rather ask than me?"

"You see, it's that selfish and arrogant attitude you have that's so infuriating! You have to understand, Potter, that not all of the girl's at Hogwarts are willing to throw themselves at you."

"Of course not…only the smart ones do so," he said, winking at her.

Lily gaped open mouthed at James while Sirius sniggered behind him. "I mean, come on, Evans, who were you so intent on asking over me?"

Lily's cheeks burned a bright red as Hermione shot a dirty look at James and Sirius. "Well, if you must know, I was planning on asking Severus," she said.

Now, James, Sirius, and Harry gaped open-mouthed at Lily. "Are you serious, Evans, about taking that slimeball to a party? You do understand a party is a social function, right?"

"How dare you? You think that just because you're some star Quidditch player that you're better than everyone else, you pompous git!" With that, Lily grabbed her bag and stormed out of the Great Hall, her flaming red hair flying behind her.

"What is her problem, asking that oily-haired dark arts lunatic to Slughorn's party," James mumbled.

"She can ask whomever she wants to ask James," Hermione said coldly, looking over at him.

"Oh please, don't tell me that you too believe Snivellus would be better at a party than me," James replied, giving her a dirty look. "Where's the evidence in that?"

"I think Lily has plenty of evidence, James, even if she chooses not to share it with you," Hermione replied frostily. Hermione then swung her bag over her shoulder and left the Great Hall.

"What has gotten into the two of them today? I mean, Evans asking Snivellus, and Hermione…wait, who did Hermione say she was going with?"

"She didn't," Remus replied.

James grumbled quietly, brooding over what had just transpired. Harry, however, was not brooding at all. In fact, Harry felt quite happy, not at the fact that his mother and father had gotten into yet another argument, but the fact that he was Hermione's date to Slughorn's party.

Well, I hoped you enjoyed Chapter 11 of "Harry Potter and a Marauder Revival!" Chapter 12 in a work-in-progress and will be posted **SUNDAY NIGHT**. So look out for that chapter! Anyway, as I said before, the time is ever drawing nearer for a big surprise that will shake up the foundation for this story, which I am extremely excited about! Don't forget to let me know what you thought of Chapter 11 with a short review!


	12. The Interloper

Harry Potter and a Marauder Revival

Chapter 12: The Interloper

The following morning, Harry made his way into the Great Hall and saw Hermione already sitting at the Gryffindor table, a book propped up against her goblet.

"Morning, Hermione," Harry said, taking a seat across from her at the table.

She looked up from her book and gave him a small smile saying, "Good morning, Harry."

Harry piled food onto his plate and began eating while James, Sirius, Remus, and Peter entered the hall, taking seats noticeably farther away from Harry and Hermione.

"So I take it they're not too happy with us," Harry muttered, casting a quick glance over at James.

Hermione looked over to them and scoffed, "Like it matters. James was acting like a noble prat to Lily last night; he's too arrogant for her own good."

Harry nodded absent-mindedly and asked, "I've been meaning to ask you about Myrtle. Yesterday, when we went into the bathroom, Myrtle seemed to have already known us. But that's impossible, isn't it? I mean, we met her in our second year, right?"

Hermione gave him another small smile and replied, "The reasons of time don't apply to the ghosts, apparently, unless of course one is traveling back to that respective ghosts' time."

"I don't understand."

"Well, ghosts are obviously non-living beings; they're just spirits that have not gone on into the next world…the world after life. Going back in time, as we have done, does not alter the foundation from which the ghost became a ghost, meaning time is not a factor that directly affects the lives that are already non-living.

"Of course, if we were to, for example, go back in time to when Myrtle was still alive and had not actually been murdered, she wouldn't be a ghost since she had not actually been killed yet."

Harry slowly nodded, asking, "And how do you know of this?"

Hermione gave him a fierce look and said, "Harry, all of this information is available in the library."

"Right," he mumbled, taking a drink of his pumpkin juice.

As the pair exited the Great Hall, they heard a voice call out from behind them, "Miss Granger and Mr. Harry!"

They turned in unison to see Professor Dumbledore come up to them and say, "I have some matters to discuss with the two of you; if you will please follow me up to my office."

With that, Professor Dumbledore climbed the staircase of the entrance hall with Harry and Hermione following in his wake.

Harry had assumed this was about any new information Professor Dumbledore might have found out about sending them back to their own time. Strangely enough, Harry was unsure as to whether or not he wanted to go back to his own time; attending Hogwarts with his parents and Sirius was something he believed was impossible yet he loved it at the same time.

The trio stood in front of a gargoyle to which Dumbledore said, "Acid pops." The gargoyle jumped aside to reveal a winding staircase. They ascended the stairs to the top where Dumbledore briskly opened the door and beckoned both Harry and Hermione inside.

As the headmaster strode behind his desk, he flicked his wand and two comfortable-looking armchairs appeared beside the two students.

"Please have a seat," Dumbledore directed and the two Gryffindors did as they were told.

"As you might have assumed, I have called you to my office this morning about your rather unique situation in which you two came to be here, two decades into the past."

Harry's heart started to hammer against his chest quite rapidly, as he noticed Hermione's hands were clasped together so tightly that her knuckles were turning white.

"I regret to inform you that all of my theories have led to greater theories than before. Each conclusion I reach seemed to be less anticipatory which in turn leads to more questions with greater depth. However, I have come to terms with a very sobering folly: to go back to your time, something of value must be given up."

Silence penetrated the office afterwards. Professor Dumbledore had the tips of his fingers together, resting under his chin as his bright blue eyes peered over at the two dumbfounded students over his half-moon spectacles.

"Sir, do you know what must be given up," Hermione asked, her voice faltering slightly.

"I'm afraid, Miss Granger, that I do not. But I believe we can assume that payment will not be light. Time traveling is a very risky deed, whether it was planned or unplanned. In your case, the two of you were thrust backwards in time against your will however, the laws of nature are not discriminatory; it is something that cannot be reasoned with, bargained for, or cheated against. In essence, the laws of nature is everywhere of nowhere."

Harry looked over at Hermione and noticed she looked pale. "Does that mean we cannot go back anytime soon?" Harry had thought his voice carried on a slight tone of happiness; Professor Dumbledore obviously did too as he looked over at Harry as if seeming to x-ray him.

"If a solution cannot be found quickly, then yes, the two of you will be here until your problem can be fixed."

"Do you think there's a possibility Harry and I could be stuck here forever," Hermione whispered, her face showing a range of emotions from shock to fear.

Dumbledore paused, seeming to regard Hermione's question carefully before he responded. "I believe, Miss Granger and Mr. Harry that a solution will be found to your current predicament. I realize that my answer is nothing to go by but the two of you must understand this: beliefs are our strongest sense of human nature, for not believing means one will not be able to see."

As Harry and Hermione exited the headmaster's office, both of their minds were racing about how Professor Dumbledore was still unable to unearth how the two of them arrived in the past while also providing no knowledge of how to get back to their present time.

"So what do you think, Hermione," Harry asked cautiously, "you've haven't said much."

"Well what is there to say? The only thing Professor Dumbledore told us was that there must be some sort of 'payment' that must be given to go back to our time. If you ask me, that doesn't sound good at all."

"There could be a possibility he could be wrong about that. He told us that he hasn't figured out a way we could go back yet he also informs us about this 'payment.'"

"I think, Harry, that Professor Dumbledore is not telling us something. I don't know what, but I just get this feeling that he's keeping something from us."

"You think he would keep secrets about something as critical as this? That could be considered manipulation," Harry said, stunned by Hermione's confession.

"Not manipulation; I don't believe Professor Dumbledore would do anything of the sort. He is just a human being, after all. Part of me thinks that he's trying to protect us by not providing all of the details he has discovered thus far."

"What does having to be a human being relate to protecting us," Harry asked.

"I mean that I believe there is something of a greater magnitude that he knows that would certainly send us back to our own time. However, he feels like the answer would be too much of a burden on us in which case, the human tendency to care for those in order to protect us from the actual truth is now showing."

"The 'actual truth?' Hermione, do you mean that he has already found a way for us to go back?"

Hermione turned to face Harry and said, "Yes, and I think he's known from quite some time. But now, he's trying to find an alternate way so we can get sent back in time without any repercussions."

Harry looked off beyond Hermione's shoulder and wondered about what she had said: did Professor Dumbledore already have a solution for which he and Hermione could go back to their present time?

He was shaken out of his thoughts when Hermione suddenly grabbed his hand. "Come on, Harry, let's go work on the Wolfsbane Potion." With that, the pair headed down to the second-floor corridor and into the girls' lavatory.

Half an hour later, after Hermione had added brown roots into the potion and gave it thirty counter-clockwise stirs while Harry had tried to fend off Myrtle's flirtatious advances, the two Gryffindors exited the bathroom and headed up to the library to get some homework done.

Hermione led Harry past rows and rows of towering bookshelves and over to a small table situated on one side of a bookshelf and in front of a vast window. A dull grey had once again settled over the grounds of the castle, blocking the rays of the sun from interfering with the chilly atmosphere.

As Harry and Hermione pulled out rolls of parchment, quills, and ink from their bags, they heard hushed voices issuing from the other side of the bookshelf.

Trying his best to ignore them, Harry shook his head and started writing his essay for Professor Slughorn. However, Harry soon noticed the voices sounded familiar.

He looked up at Hermione who also seemed to notice the tones. Harry chanced a glance over his shoulder and as discretely as he could, he pushed a lone book off to the side and saw his father with Sirius, Remus, and Peter.

"What can I say to her? Every time I approach her, she glares at me then stalks off in the opposite direction! I just can't take it anymore," James said.

"Well look at it this way, Prongs, after last night, you can't get any worse with her," Sirius had said, trying to stifle his laughter.

As James glared at him, Remus cut in, "I think what bothers her most is she thinks you're too arrogant. Also, you don't exactly act like yourself when you're around her either."

"How am I supposed to act like myself, Moony? I get all nervous and lose my train of thought!"

Harry and Hermione heard a squeaky voice pipe in, "Well, you could try acting more nicely towards her." James looked over at Peter while Sirius rolled his eyes.

"What are you on about Wormtail? How nice can I act around her when she can't even stand the sight of me?"

"Why are you so into her? There are plenty of other girls here at Hogwarts for you to date and obsess over," Sirius added.

"Okay, first of all, I do not obsess over her and second of all –''  
"Oh do us all a favor and give us a break! You do too obsess over her," Sirius interrupted.

"I do not!"  
"You do too!"

"I do not!"

"Yes you –''  
"Enough," Remus said, stepping in between his two friends with one hand outstretched towards James and other towards Sirius. "How about we say, you fancy her, James, plain and simple? But Sirius is right, maybe Lily isn't the one for you, mate. And there are other girls that go to Hogwarts."

"Yeah, like who," James spat out.

"What about Hermione," Peter piped in. Harry's head darted over to Hermione where she seemed to be frozen in place.

"What about Hermione," James asked, as Harry saw him cross his arms over his chest.

"Well, she's a girl; why not give it a go with her," Sirius suggested.

James actually seemed to contemplate it for a moment until he replied, "I can't. She's with Harry."

Harry immediately felt his face burn at his father's answer as he tried to avoid Hermione's eyes at all costs.

"Really? I don't ever recall you asking her about her dating life let alone spend any time with her by yourself," Sirius shot back.

"Well if you must know, Padfoot, I have spent some time with her. Hermione is different too; on one hand, she's exactly like Evans with the two of them being incredibly smart for their own good. Then, you have their different personalities: Evans seems more laid-back in a way when she's with her friends while Hermione seems –''  
Before James could finish his sentence, Harry had hastily moved the book back in its place, effectively blocking out the rest of their conversation.

Hermione eyed Harry questioningly as she whispered, "What did you do that for, Harry?"

"You wanted to know what James thinks of you?"

"It wouldn't have mattered to me one way or the other. I've gone through much worse at the hands of Malfoy before and after a while, I realized that it's not worth fussing over what something thinks of you. What truly matters is acceptance by your friends and family for who you truly are."

Hermione dipped her quill in ink bottle and began scratching away at her parchment while Harry looked on. He gave her a small smile as he thought about his and Hermione's relationship over the past two years.

When the Goblet of Fire spit out Harry's name as the fourth champion in the Triwizard Tournament, most of the school, except for Hermione, didn't believe he had somehow cheated and entered in his own name into the Goblet of Fire. She stood by his side and even helped him practice all sorts of spells; she accepted his answer without question when he told her he did not enter in his name into the goblet.

Last year, while both Harry and Professor Dumbledore were targeted like a pair of wild caged animals by the Ministry of Magic, Hermione had once again accepted Harry's witness of the rebirth of Lord Voldemort. Musing over the thoughts of losing his godfather at the end of the previous year, Harry had also felt bad over lashing out at both Ron and Hermione at various times over the course of the year, unable to control his anger he felt towards the entire wizarding community for being labeled a liar trying to seek attention.

No matter what James had said of Hermione, Harry knew Hermione was extremely loyal to her friends and to Harry.

"Hey Hermione, do you want to go take a walk by the lake," Harry asked suddenly.

Shock made its way across Hermione's face as she answered, "But Harry, we just got here! And why do you want to walk by the lake for?"

"I don't know; it just seems like the right thing to do at the moment," he responded, giving her a small smile.

She looked down at her essay, grimaced slightly, and said, "Oh all right. Let's just drop off our things back in our dormitory."

Harry nodded, now smiling widely, as they packed up their bags and exited the library. After dropping off their bags in their rooms, the two walked out of the oak front doors of the castle and over to the Black Lake.

"So, if I may ask, why did you feel like walking around the lake was the right thing to do," Hermione questioned.

Harry shrugged his shoulders as he looked over at the smooth surface of the water. "Sometimes, I feel like fresh air can clear your head."

Hermione nodded in answer as she replied, "Yeah, you definitely always have a lot to think about. With Voldemort and all," she added, seeing the puzzled expression on his face.

"You're right. I don't even know what to think about that." Peering over at her, Harry decided he should break the news to her about the prophecy. "Hermione, can I tell you something; I mean something that is strictly confidential?"

"Harry, you can tell my anything," she said. The pair stopped and faced one another: his bright green eyes bore into her soft brown ones.

"At the end of last year, after the fight at the ministry, Professor Dumbledore told me something about me and Voldemort."

Silence had settled itself in the air around the two students. The waters of the Black Lake were as still as glass while the valleys that surrounded the grounds of the castle were hidden with a light fog.

Harry sighed heavily and said, "A prophecy was made concerning Voldemort and me. In short, one of us has to be the one to kill the other for 'neither can live while the other survives.'"

Harry continued to gaze down at Hermione as she whispered, "So it's true then? In the end, one of you has to die?"

He nodded his head in response as Hermione's eyes grew red with unshed tears, threatening to come at any moment.

"Harry…I-I don't know what to say," Hermione offered, looking up at Harry. "I have no idea what you must be thinking and feeling."

"I guess, in some strange sort of way, I shouldn't be surprised. I mean, there always is an end to every encounter and this just happens to be mine."

In the next moment, Hermione threw her arms around Harry's shoulders and pulled him close to her. Smiling slightly, not out of mirth but out of comfort, Harry wrapped his arms around Hermione.

The two stood by the waters of the lake, in a tight embrace as Hermione wanted to make Harry feel protected, like it was worth the long and perilous fight both knew had to come.

Harry in turn wanted to comfort Hermione. Knowing how defensive she was of him, this was one time where he felt as he now had to be strong for her.

As they slowly broke apart, Harry was surprised to see Hermione had not shed any tears but instead, she had a fierce look of determination in her eyes.

"I'll be there with you, Harry, every step of the way and I know Ron will too. We're in this together," she said.

"Hermione, this is not going to be easy for you, for Ron, or for me. I don't even know where to begin. But this has to be done and I have to be the one to do finish him."

"I know, Harry. I believe in you."

Quite suddenly, the dull clouds that had hung in the sky started to break apart. The mist that had surrounded the hills around Hogwarts vanished as warm rays peeked out from behind the parting mass.

As the sun began to slowly reveal itself, Hermione said in a clear voice, "I always admired you Harry for your nobility and perseverance. It gives me my own strength to press on and move forward."

Harry gave a small, quite laugh as he replied, "We, we are definitely going to need it in preparation for what is coming."

Then, the final clouds broke apart, revealing the sun in all of its wondrous splendor and pageantry. The two students turned to look at the massive ball of flame, as it glistened off of the waters of the Black Lake.

Harry put his arm around Hermione and pulled her close to his side. Although Hermione didn't know, Harry was relieved to have finally told one of his two best friends about the prophecy and its contents as it felt like a huge weight had been lifted off his shoulders.

What was more, Hermione had declared she would be by his side, also trusting that Ron would say the same. Smiling again, Harry was comforted his two best friends would be there with him, every step of the way.

Hermione leaned into Harry, placing her left hand over his heart. The tranquility of peace had settled between them as no words needed to be said in their moment of comfort.

For the rest of their day, Harry and Hermione wondered how to tell Remus about the Wolfsbane Potion without risking the breaking of a friendship between him and James.

The following day, the Gryffindors entered their History of Magic classroom with the Hufflepuffs. Their teacher, Professor Binns, who happened to be the only teacher who was a ghost at Hogwarts, floated in through the one of the walls of the classroom and began a lecture on goblin rebellions.

Within five minutes of the beginning of Professor Binns' spiel on the subject matter, Harry found his mind wandering, looking at other students in the classroom. Not to his surprise, both Hermione and Lily were scribbling away furiously on their parchment.

Harry saw both Peter and Remus have far-away looks in both of their eyes with their heads resting on their hands. James and Sirius had charmed their quills into mini-broomsticks and participated as spectators as they raced their brooms along the desk.

From breakfast this morning, it was clear James was still on edge with his spat with both Lily and Hermione from Saturday night after Gryffindor's victory in the first Quidditch game of the season.

However, both Harry and Hermione had noticed James kept shooting furtive glances over at Lily leading them both to assume that while Lily was completely put-off by James, he would not go down without a fight.

Hearing a soft snore to his right, Harry glanced over and saw Peter's head resting against his chest, his shoulders slumped over, with his eyes shut tight. Remus seemed not to have noticed as he too had his eyes closed.

"Oh come on! My broom won by a mile," Sirius whispered over to James.

"What on earth were you watching, Padfoot? My broom was the clear winner," James responded.

The two of their voices became more pronounced as they argued about whose broom won their mock race while both Hermione and Lily kept shooting furious glances over at them while continuing the take notes at the same time.

Harry thought to himself that it would not have mattered how loudly the two were talking; he felt that the students could have led their own rebellion in class and Professor Binns would have still carried on with his lecture.

As the bell clanged loudly about, signaling the end of class, Harry gathered up his belongings and stuffed them into his bag, thankful he was free from Professor Binns' lecture.

He caught up with Hermione who seethed, "You would think that one would make an effort to listen in class instead of racing silly little brooms across the desk."

Harry looked ahead to where James and Sirius were still arguing about who won their miniature broomstick race as he said, "Hermione, can you honestly blame them? I mean, listening to Professor Binns is like watching the grass grow."

"Maybe, but at least they could make somewhat of an effort!"

Harry decided it was best not to argue with Hermione at the present moment, seeing how worked up she seemed.

Harry, then, thought about a problem he and Hermione would surely encounter: if James wasn't on speaking terms with Hermione at the moment, how were they to regale the Woflsbane Potion to Remus? After all, the full moon was fast approaching and there was no advancement in terms of telling Remus about the potion.

As Harry became muddled in his own thoughts, the day passed by quickly. Their professors seemed to give them extra homework every night as Harry was now behind on his work he had to do.

As the days seem to bleed together, another week passed as the air over Hogwarts became noticeably more frigid.

One night, while Harry and Hermione were working on their homework, James approached their table with Remus in tow.

The duo stopped what they were doing and looked up at James, knowing what was about to be discussed.

"Harry, Hermione," James said, nodding his head in both of their directions. "I think we need to talk."

"Sure," Harry replied suddenly, gesturing towards the empty seats at their table. James and Remus both took a seat, James looking slightly nervous while Remus looked extremely confused.

"So…," James started, seeming to be unsure as to how he should approach the impending topic, "how've you guys been doing?"

James looked particularly at Hermione who seemed to be completely ignoring him; after all, this was the first time he had spoken to Hermione ever since Gryffindor's first Quidditch match.

"Remus, I'm not sure what James has told you but there is something we would all like to discuss with you," Hermione said, to which Remus looked taken-aback.

"Well, what is it," he asked, looking at Hermione skeptically.

Hermione looked over to Harry who gave her a reassuring smile in return. She nodded, sighed loudly, and said, "We know you're a werewolf."

Confusion shifted to fear almost immediately as Remus processed what Hermione had just said.

"But…how could you two possible know," Remus asked, his gaze shifting over to James. "You told them, didn't you?"

James looked horrified at his friend's reaction and started to say, "It's not what you think, Remus," but was interrupted by Hermione.

"He didn't tell us, Remus; Harry and I figured it out on our own."

"How did the two of you figure this out own your own," he said, his eyes still swimming in trepidation.

"We saw you sneak out across the grounds of Hogwarts last full moon," Harry interjected, "and the two of us made our own assumptions."

"So by you seeing me sneak across the grounds of the school, you automatically assume I'm a werewolf," he said, whispering the word 'werewolf.'

"We're extremely perceptive," Hermione added, looking solemn. "The point however, is that Harry and I found out a potion that could ease the transformation process."

Remus actually scoffed as he said, "The two of you invented a potion for werewolf transformation?"

"No, we didn't invent one; we just know of one," Hermione responded. "It's called the Wolfsbane Potion. When concocted properly, it makes the person, who turns into a werewolf keep their sane state of mind, meaning you wouldn't have any werewolf-like tendencies."

Remus looked at Hermione as if she's lost her mind. "There's no such potion that exists," he said.

"Yes, there is. It was invented just two years ago but it's been tested and it works," Hermione said.

"Show me."

Harry thought Hermione didn't have any proof of the potion but to his surprise, she took out a book titled "Progressive Ailments and Remedies for Wizard-Kind from the mid-Twentieth Century and Beyond" and handed it over to Remus.

He took it in his hands as Hermione said, "It's on page one-hundred and forty seven." Remus flipped the book open to that page and began reading.

James, who had stayed completely silent during the entire conversation, was looking over at Hermione with a nervous look on his face.

Harry leaned over closer to Hermione and whispered, "Where did you get that book from?"

She smirked over at him and whispered back, "I found it in the library two days ago, actually."

Harry shook his head with a small grin on his face as Remus looked up from the book and asked, "And you think you can actually brew this? This looks incredibly complicated."

"Actually, we've already started brewing it," Hermione said.

Remus' eyebrows shot upward as he replied, "So you would assume I would say 'yes' just because it can help with the transformation process?"

Hermione's cheeks flared pink as Harry said, "We didn't assume you would accept our help…we just hoped you would. We're not here to hurt you, Remus, we want to help."

Remus looked to be considering their help when James added, "It looks fine, mate, the potion and all. I think you should give it a go. If you think there is no change post-transformation, then you never have to take it again."

"Why…why would you do this for me," Remus asked, looking at Harry and Hermione.

Harry shared a quick glance with Hermione before he said, "What are friends for?"

"Well, I don't know how to ever thank you," he replied, looking down at his lap.

"You don't need to thank us," Hermione said.

Remus nodded once and said, "W-well I guess I'll let the two of you get back to your homework then." With that, he stood up, handed the book back to Hermione and left the library.

"Do you think that went well," Hermione asked once he was out of sight, turning to face Harry with a look of worry on her face. "He didn't seem too convinced."

Before Harry could respond, James said, "He looked convinced to me. What you have to understand is that he really doesn't like talking about his transformation; he's rather ashamed of it, like he's an outcast in society. We've tried to tell him differently but it's something that really bothers him."

"What made you bring Remus over here tonight," Harry asked, realizing he, Hermione, and James had not discussed any plans to meet Remus in the library at night.

He shrugged and said, "I just had a gut feeling tonight was the night to talk to him. By the way, how's the potion coming along?"

"Fine," Hermione responded shortly, returning to her essay.

James gave a great sigh while looking over at Hermione. "I suppose it would be too much to ask you to accept my apology while I ask for your help again?"

Hermione turned towards James and responded, "You don't owe me an apology."

"Then why are you acting so angry with me?"

"Because it's the way you treated Lily! You must know that she too has feelings; your actions make her angry all the time."

"That's what I need help with! I need to know how to act around her," James responded, his eyes flashing. "I'm going to tell the two of you something that I've only admitted to myself just this year: I fancy her."

"Well, apart from sounding rude, you have a funny way of showing it, James," Hermione said.

"I know I do! I just can't…I can't express my feelings well enough," he said back, his face turning red. "This isn't easy for me to talk about," he mumbled.

Hermione looked over to Harry who felt uncomfortable seeing his father trying to woo his mother to get to like him.

"Well, for starters, you would have to change your attitude," Hermione stated.

"Meaning what?"

"Meaning that every time you are around Lily, you act extremely arrogant and conceited; it's obvious she doesn't like that at all. Second, you should try talking to her and find out what her interests are. It works to know what she likes so the two of you can actually start some sort of dialogue which will lead into a conversation."

James pouted out his bottom lip as his eyes looked far-away, as if considering the advice Hermione was giving him.

"Hmmm, that seems good…what else have you got?"

She scoffed and replied, "The rest you can think for yourself. My main goal right now is to brew the potion correctly for Remus."

"Well, it was worth a try," James said playfully, standing up. "Anyway, thanks for the advice." With a small wave of his hand, James departed, leaving Harry and Hermione alone.

"Do you really think James will listen to what you told him," Harry asked.

"He will if he truly wants to start to get Lily to notice him in a better light," she replied lightly.

Harry shook his head in mock exasperation as Hermione gave him another smile; unbeknownst to them, they were unaware that an intruder was eavesdropping throughout their entire conversation.

Well, that's another chapter down for "Harry Potter and a Marauder Revival!" I know this chapter is quite long but the content here is important for the progression of later episodes. Anyway, I hoped you all enjoyed it! Chapter 13 is a work-in-progress and will be posted **THURSDAY NIGHT**! Please let me know what you all thought about Chapter 12 with a short-reivew!


	13. Lonely Nights

Harry Potter and a Marauder Revival

Chapter 13: Lonely Nights

The rays of the sun shone brightly through one of the large windows of the second floor girls' lavatory of Hogwarts castle.

Hermione sat cross-legged on the stone floor of the bathroom, stirring the Wolfsbane Potion clockwise twenty-five times as Harry looked on.

"So then the potion is nearly complete," Harry asked her, noting Hermione's face screwed up in concentration.

Hermione nodded as she replied, "Yes, after today, we need to let the potion sit for five days before we can give it to Remus which works out fine since the full moon is due in -,"

"Six days," Harry finished for her.

"I just hope I brewed this correctly," Hermione said more to herself than Harry. "I mean, I'm sure I did, but you know, I never really took a pinch of the Gurdyrotos and, oh no, I'm so sure I only stirred thirty-three times counter-clockwise when I should have -,"

"Hermione! Calm down, I'm positive you did everything right, as always," Harry said, smiling slightly at Hermione's sudden outburst.

"How can you be so sure, Harry?"

"Because I was watching you," he replied simply, shrugging his shoulders.

Hermione shot him a small smile as she carefully picked up the full cauldron and placed it in one of the bathroom stalls.

"Okay, well, the potion should be ready in six days then," Hermione said, walking out of the stall and closing it shut behind her. "All that is left is for Remus to take it and we hope for the best."

"No, we don't hope, Hermione because I know you did everything perfectly," Harry said, looking down at her as the pair walked out of the bathroom.

Hermione gave him a sarcastic look but looked mollified nonetheless. "You know, I've been thinking, Harry: I want to make the Shrieking Shack more comfortable for Remus."

"What do you mean," he asked her, his brows furrowing together.

"Every time Remus transforms into a werewolf, he goes into the Shrieking Shack. But this time, assuming we made the potion correctly, he will still have his human mind and he will still go into the shack but it is such a dark and depressing place, probably even more so at night."

"So what did you have in mind," Harry asked in a whisper, as a Hufflepuff couple passed them holding hands.

"We just spice it up a bit," Hermione responded.

Harry looked at her with a wary expression. "And how do you plan to spice it up a bit?"

Hermione gave him a wide smile in answer but didn't say anymore on the topic. The week passed by quickly, with the weather becoming noticeably colder with each passing day.

As the first week of November approached, Harry and Hermione noted the full moon was due in three days.

"So what is the plan then," Harry asked Hermione one night in the Gryffindor common room.

"What do you mean," she asked.

"To give the potion to Remus. Is he to drink it here in the castle or in the Shrieking Shack?"

"Well, I assume Remus goes to the Shrieking Shack before sundown so he can drink the Wolfsbane Potion in the shack," Hermione answered.

Harry nodded and then asked, "And are we still going to 'spice up' the shack for him?"

Hermione nodded and grabbed Harry's hand, saying, "I think right now is the perfect time to do that, actually."

Harry and Hermione trekked out of the Gryffindor common room and walked out of the oak front doors of the castle. The grass crunched beneath their feat as the sky started turning a dark blue.

As the pair approached the Whomping Willow, the branches of the wild tree suddenly sprung to life and swung violently in the air.

"Harry, how are we supposed to get past this?"

Harry looked around and smiled. "With this," he replied, picking up a large stick. Harry maneuvered the stick so that it pressed into the small knot near the base of the tree.

The branches stopped suddenly, plunging the air around the tree into a state of calm. "Let's go," Harry said, taking Hermione's hand in his and the pair ducked under the base of the tree and into a long, dark tunnel.

After nearly twenty minutes of walking, Harry finally crawled out from the tunnel and into the Shrieking Shack, pulling up Hermione behind him. The two walked up the old staircase, each board creaking in protest.

The shutters of the house were shut, letting in small beams of the dying sun. As Harry and Hermione reached the second-floor landing, they saw a wide door hanging off of its hinges, brutal scratch marks covering its surface.

Passing the broken door and entering the room, Harry heard Hermione gasp. Inside, the room was a complete disaster: the single bed situated against one wall was in ruins, with its bed sheets and its mattress torn to shreds; broken pieces of glass lay strewn over the floor, presumably from a long-ago broken mirror whose frame still hung over the dust-filled grate. The legs of a singled-cushion chair bore savage bite marks while the feathers of the cushion formed a circle around the old piece of furniture, almost like a grounded halo.

"This is awful," Hermione whispered. Harry silently agreed: he couldn't imagine what it must feel like to come up here every full moon and stay in this place of madness.

Harry turned to Hermione who still had a look of sorrowful revulsion on her face. "So, Hermione, what is your plan?"

When Hermione turned to him, Harry saw her revulsion morph into determination. She took out her wand and replied, "Well, since Remus should be in his human state of mind, I think we should make this room a little more comfortable for him."

"So you're going to fix this room up," Harry asked in assurance.

"Not just that; I'm also going to add some light decorations here and there," she said, scoping out certain areas of the room to see where her embellishments would work out nicely.

"Just remember, Hermione, that we can't change this room or this shack too much."

"What do you mean," she asked back, not looking at him.

"Remember what my dad said before: he told us Professor Dumbledore encourages the rumors that this shack is haunted. Whenever Remus comes up here, the villagers in Hogsmeade hear the noise he makes and assumes the worst meaning they keep clear from here. We can't change too much of the shack or else Remus will have nowhere to go every full moon."

Hermione nodded her head in agreement and replied, "Well, maybe we can just fix up this room and add some small decorations here and there."

Harry nodded and the pair of them did their best to clean the room. Hermione used her wand to repair the bed along with its mattress and sheets while Harry fixed the mirror by waving his wand over the broken pieces of glass so that they flew back into its frame.

After Harry had secured the chair back in its original state, he turned around and saw green tinsel garland protruding out of Hermione's wand. The garland had hung itself over the mantle of the fireplace, small, bright white lights shining in between the garland's green.

"Hermione, what are you doing," Harry asked.

"I'm just spicing up this room a bit," she replied, producing another line of garland covered in white lights which wrapped itself around the mirror.

"Well, I can see that but why garland?"

"Harry, it's almost Christmas time. I think it would lighten the mood of the shack; this place is too cold and too dark."

Harry doubted whether or not hanging garland would lighten up the atmosphere of the Shrieking Shack but he didn't say any more on the matter.

After a few more minutes of light decorating, Hermione said, "Okay, I think I'm finished then." She took another look at the room both she and Harry had neatly put back together. "I think Remus will enjoy his time in here much better than all of his previous stays," Hermione said, smiling brightly.

"Yes, well, let's head back; it must be after dark already," Harry said, grabbing Hermione's hand, feeling a spark of electricity when he did so.

As they departed from the room and headed for the stairs, Hermione stopped suddenly, pulling Harry back with her.

"What is it," he questioned, looking down at her.

"Wait, I just want to hang up another string over the banister," she said quietly, taking out her wand. One more twine of garland then wound its way over the banister of the stairs, its bright lights twinkling in slow succession.

The two Gryffindor's then headed back down the creaking staircase, disappeared through the hole in the floor which led to the passageway back to Hogwarts.

As they exited from the base of the Whomping Willow, Harry remembered to press the knot at the base of the tree in order for the Whomping Willow not to pummel them.

A cold night had settled in the air of Hogwarts castle. Windows of the citadel shone brightly against the black sky, the stars that hung above reflected brightly against the still waters of the Black Lake.

"I think that when we get back to the common room, we should start on our Transfiguration essay. After we finish that, perhaps we can start on Professor Slughorn's essay as well. What do you think, Harry?" Hermione turned around only to find she was talking to herself. "Harry?"

Hermione spotted that Harry's dark figure had wandered over to the edge of the lake. She looked on and saw his shoulders slumped over, his hands dangling at his sides. Worried, Hermione slowly made her way over to Harry. Looking up at him, she saw Harry peering out over the lake.

"It seems so peaceful, doesn't it, Hermione," he said quietly.

"What seems peaceful?"

"The lake. There's no movement and nothing is stirring in its depths. The water just sits here in harmony, mixing in with the still air. It feels so…relaxing, making me forget about all of my problems."

"Are you talking about V-Voldemort, Harry," Hermione whispered.

"Not just Voldemort; I'm talking about not wanting to go back."

"Harry, we can't stay here forever. This isn't our time; we don't belong here," Hermione protested gently.

"Funnily enough, I feel that I don't belong in our own time either," he replied.

"What do you mean?"

Harry sighed loudly as he said, "Remember last year, when the Ministry of Magic had dispelled both Professor Dumbledore and me, calling us both liars when we said Voldemort had returned?"

Hermione nodded her head, unsure of where her best friend was going with this. "And just this past summer, after the battle in the Department of Mysteries and after Sirius' d-death, the ministry is now calling me 'The Chosen One.' It's all a load of rubbish.

"They're trying to fit me in a place where lies and degradation are preferred over honor and respect. Our world back home is slowly falling apart because of foolish fantasies our government wishes us to believe. They impress upon us that I'm some savior of the Wizarding world, making others consider that I'm the only one that can end Voldermot and his reign of terror."

Hermione chose her next words carefully, seeing how vulnerable Harry was at the present moment. "Harry, didn't you tell me the prophecy says that you have powers that Voldemort knows not? Doesn't that insinuate that you have to be the one that finishes him off?"

"I am the one that has to do it, Hermione, but that doesn't mean we have to become so defragmented because of it."

"I don't think I understand," Hermione said.

"It all begins with unity. Having the ministry flip-flop back and forth between calling me a fraud and then hailing me a liberator to Voldemort and his Death Eaters…confusion abounds and we all start to slowly fall apart. But, if we were somehow able to come together and unite under one banner, going back would be so much easier."

The atmosphere around them seemed to have plummeted to even colder levels than before. Crickets chirped off in the distance as a small wind rustled a fallen leaves across the grounds of the castle.

"To the ministry, I'm just some poster child for them to wield in times of disarray. They have no conscious about how I feel and what I want. They assume I'm both ready and prepared to fight Voldemort head-on."

"What do you want, Harry?"

He looked down at Hermione with piercing green eyes as he replied, "I just want to be normal. I didn't ask for any of this: not for the prophecy, not for being raised by my aunt and uncle, or being marked by Voldemort. When we go back, we are going back to a war where our world hangs on by a thin thread and the problem is, only Voldemort and I hold the power to sever the thread."

Hermione looked away from Harry. She shivered involuntarily, not from the cold but from the words of her best friend.

"Look, Harry, there are times in being where everyone comes to the realization that life isn't fair. We don't ask nor want certain things but we're given them anyway. Right now, you're at a crossroads because you, yourself, don't know what you want out of life. You don't think about your long-run future because you can't see past your short-term goals.

"But when life knocks us down, all we can do is to get back up. Humans are not perfect, nor will we ever be. One could even argue that possessing magic makes us even weaker than a muggle because we rely too much on one thing. You're right when you say our world is being ripped apart; but it's being ripped apart in the name of magic."

"I just wish none of this had ever happened."

For the first time in her life, Hermione felt at a loss for words. Harry was clearly affected more than he let on. In his time of darkness, Hermione felt the best remedy was to be there and stand with Harry.

As the night seeped on, walls Harry had put up to block anyone from getting close to him emotionally started to tumble down. He once again looked down at Hermione and saw the strain in her eyes as she peered out over the Black Lake.

Here Hermione stood, with him, in his moment of need. Never before had Hermione put Harry up on some sort of pedestal and never once did she doubt Harry; she stood by him in a firm defense, something that will mean more to Harry than words could ever do justice.

Sometime later, Harry had decided to retire to his dormitory. In silence, Harry and Hermione made their way back into the castle, neither one aware of the other's overloaded mindset.

Making their way through the quiet corridors of the castle, Harry suddenly said, "I don't want you to take pity on me, Hermione. I don't deserve it."

Hermione looked up at Harry and replied, "I never once took pity on you, Harry. I pity that situation we are all in. But remember, Ron and I will be there for you; you need us, Harry. We're your best friends. I remember Professor Dumbledore saying that friendship is the only true testament to one's beliefs for without friendship, one is lost at sea with no navigation or map to guide him home."

Harry gave Hermione a small smile as they approached the portrait of the Fat Lady. Giving her the password, Harry and Hermione entered the now-empty Gryffindor common room, the grate hosting a dying fire.

"Well goodnight, Harry and don't forget, we are here for you," Hermione said, waving at Harry as she departed for her dormitory.

He waved back, watching her go with a pained feeling; a feeling that was new and confusing at the same time. Harry suddenly felt quite alone now that Hermione had gone off to bed. Making his way moodily back to his dormitory, Harry quickly fell into a deep sleep, filled with both longing and assurance.

The following morning, Harry and Hermione were seated in the Great Hall, having a spot of breakfast. No words passed between the two students about the night before as they dug into their food.

Although Harry's mind was still reeling about having to go back and face the unknown at one time or another, he decided it was best to take his journey day by day. He then thought that having Hermione near him kept up his positive mood.

Lily suddenly sat herself across from the pair and smiled knowingly.

"What are you smiling about, Lily," Hermione asked curiously.

"Oh, just a whole lot of nothing," she responded playfully. Hermione shrugged her shoulders as Lily leaned in and said, "I want to talk to you Hermione, after you're finished eating."

"About what," Hermione questioned.

"Just stuff," Lily responded in which Hermione nodded her head in acceptance. James, Sirius, Remus, and Peter then strode into the Great Hall and seated themselves near Harry, Hermione, and Lily.

To Harry's surprise, Lily did not huff about as she usually did when James entered; instead, she looked his way for a few moments.

Finishing up their breakfast, Harry, Hermione, and Lily departed from the Great Hall and headed down to the dungeons for Potions. Harry walked on alone as Hermione and Lily were having a whispered conversation behind him.

As the students settled outside of the Potions classroom, Harry wondered what on earth his best friend and his future mother were whispering about.

"What's going on with them," a voice suddenly asked, interrupting Harry's thoughts. He turned and saw James looking over at Hermione and Lily inquisitively.

"I have no idea," Harry responded. "But James, Hermione and I meant to tell you that the Wolfsbane Potion is complete. The full moon is coming tomorrow and we wanted to let you know that it's ready."

James suddenly grew serious as he regarded Harry's comment. "Okay, okay, so all that is left to do is for Remus to take the potion, right?"

Harry nodded in answer. "And you're sure this will help Remus keep his human state-of-mind," James asked in a whisper as to not to be overheard by any other students.

"If Hermione says so, then yes."

James gave him a brief smile and asked, "Do you always believe in Hermione?"

Harry thought about this question for a long moment, and then replied with complete certainty, "I would believe in Hermione with my life."

Just as James was about to respond, the Potions door swung open and a beaming Professor Slughorn called on out, "Well come inside, come inside, lots to do today!"

The students filed into the Potions classroom, Harry sharing the same table as Hermione and Lily, both of whom seemed to have ended their whispered conversation.

"Well, class, we are coming close to the winter break which means our year together is nearly halfway over! However, be warned that just because we are inching closer to the holidays does not in any way mean your Potions will get easier; I daresay our subject material will in fact be much more difficult."

Harry heard a small squeak of protest behind him at Professor Slughorn's words. He looked over his shoulder and saw Peter had turned a ghostly pale. Smiling to himself, Harry turned his attention back to the potions master.

"Today class, we will brew the Blood-Replenishing Potion. The potion is designed to increase the blood of a certain person after he or she has lost blood due to injury or some other circumstance. The directions for which the potion is to be brewed can be found on page one-hundred and sixty-nine of your books. You have one hour…good luck."

Just like every other potions class, the sound of scraping stools was heard as students dashed over to the supply cabinet to pick out the necessary ingredients needed to correctly concoct the potion.

Harry thought that as Hermione had already brewed the much more advanced Wolfsbane Potion, the Blood-Replenishing Potion should not give her much trouble.

As the hour progressed, Harry had found the potion also not too difficult to brew. Looking around, Harry saw his mother asking Hermione a question about what the correct color the potion was to be at the halfway stage.

Chancing a look over his shoulder, Harry silently laughed at Peter, whose hands had been shaking so much that his roots for which he was to add to the potion were completely uneven. Harry then noticed that James' roots were uneven as well but for an entirely different reason: he kept looking over at Lily.

However, as Lily was so involved in her work, she apparently did not achieve the correct color for the halfway stage, she did not notice his hazel eyes look over at her every other minute.

Professor Slughorn started walking around the classroom, peering over the shoulders of his students to take a look at how well their Blood-Replenishing Potion was coming along. Coming to their table, Professor Slughorn gave Harry's cauldron an approving nod while he squirmed in excitement seeing Hermione's.

"I would just like to let you know, Miss Granger and Miss Evans, that the two of you should be receiving invitations to my annual Christmas ball any day now. And remember, you are most certainly welcome to bring any date of your choice!"

With that, he departed from their table, heading over to look at James' potion. Harry looked up at Hermione whose cheeks were blazing a light shade of red.

After the hour had ended, Professor Slughorn's voice boomed around the classroom, "And the hour is now up! I want everyone to fill a vial of their potion and label it clearly; leave it on my desk for grading!"

Harry noticed the crestfallen look on Lily's face. "What's wrong," he asked her as she held up her vial for her own inspection.

"The book says the potion is to be a ruby red and mine is a dark pink color," she replied without looking at Harry. Harry looked at his own vial and noticed the redness of his potion.

"Well, I'm sure it'll be alright," he consoled.

"Maybe," she replied distractedly,

Lily departed from the dungeon, looking over the directions in her potions book, seeing where she went wrong, leaving Harry and Hermione walking together.

"Well, that wasn't so bad, was it," Harry asked lightly.

Hermione laughed and replied, "Actually, that's one of the more difficult potions."

"Really," Harry asked surprised, "Then why did I find it so easy?"

"Because you give yourself so little credit," Hermione replied. Noting the puzzled expression on Harry's face, she continued, "You helped me brew the Wolfsbane Potion, Harry which is a far more difficult potion to brew than a Blood-Replenishing Potion."

"Hermione, you did all of the work, not me," Harry said.

"Maybe I did all of the work, but you took in how to brew the potion with your eyes. People always underestimate their sense of sight: it is incredibly powerful all on its own whether people realize its usefulness or not."

Harry thought about her statement as they continued on to their next class. "What were you and Lily talking about before class anyway?"

Hermione looked over at Harry again and replied, "She knows, Harry. She knows everything."

Shock shook Harry down to his core. Was their secret up? Had he given them away or had Lily deduced he and Hermione were not from this time era?

"How does she know," Harry asked.

"She overheard us talking," Hermione responded seriously.

"But when did we talk about it," Harry wondered aloud.

"In the library several days ago."

"So how did she respond? I can't imagine how anyone would respond knowing two people are actually from the future."

"Harry, what are you talking about," Hermione questioned.

Harry looked over at her as if she had grown two heads. "Hermione, you just said Lily knows. Doesn't that mean she knows about us being from the future," he whispered.

"No, oh no, I didn't mean that! I meant that Lily knows about Remus transforming into a werewolf and also about me giving James advice about her."

"Oh," Harry replied lamely, wondering how she took the news. "What did she say about it?"

"Well, she told me she always had her suspicious about Remus but hearing us talking about the Wolfsbane Potion and him turning into a werewolf confirmed her doubts. As for James, well, she already knew he likes her however she seems to have a change of heart."

"A change of heart? What do you mean?"

"Well, most of our conversation was about James. She asked me all about him, not that I know too much, but I answered her best I could. She's thinking about asking him to Professor Slughorn's Christmas party."

"I thought she was going to ask Snape," Harry replied.

"She was thinking about it but she never made up her mind yet," Hermione responded.

"So Lily just hearing James talk about her in the library made her change her mind," Harry asked skeptically.

"Well, it's the thing James had done that has goaded her into thinking about asking him."

"Like what?"

"Well, for one, he gave us his own money when we went into Hogsmeade Village. Secondly, James purposely brought Remus to us to talk about the Wolfsbane Potion because he genuinely cares for his condition. It's these little things James does that makes Lily notice him; it's humorous in a way because James doesn't even understand that his actions speak volumes about his character to Lily."

Harry smiled at the thought of Lily slowly falling for James. "Well then, I guess James is going to have to keep up his nice side in order for Lily to notice him even more."

Hermione laughed and nodded in agreement. Before the two could say another word to each other, James came up to them.

"I want you to meet me tomorrow night in the girls' lavatory after dinner."

"What for," Hermione asked.

"Well, Hermione, as you know, tomorrow is the full moon and I want you two to come with me, Sirius, and Peter to give Remus the potion."

Hermione looked unsure as she replied, "I don't know, James. I'm not sure Sirius or Peter will be any more than thrilled that Harry and I know about Remus. Like you said, it was supposed to be a secret between the four of you and Professor Dumbledore."

"Hermione, I think you and Harry deserve this; after all, you two took the time to actually brew the potion for Remus…that has got to count for something. You two are our friends; I want you both there."

Hermione looked over at Harry who looked at her in return. Sensing her answer, Harry replied, "Don't worry, James, both Hermione and I will be there."

Well, another chapter down for "Harry Potter and a Marauder Revival!" There is just ONE chapter left before a massive twist that will leave many people reeling (I guess). Be warned, Chapter 14 will be a LONG chapter for reasons I can't explain for the sake of my story. Chapter 14 will be posted **LATE FRIDAY NIGHT!** Please feel free to let me know what you all though about Chapter 13 (both positive and negative reviews welcomed)!


	14. Imbroglio

Harry Potter and a Marauder Revival

Author's Note: I usually write my notes at the end of each chapter but in doing so, I thought it would ruin the tone of this chapter's ending. Emotional feelings don't do justice to what I felt after I completed Chapter 14. It is a rollercoaster! Chapter 15 is a work-in-progress and will be posted **MONDAY NIGHT** ( **MONDAY NIGHT** ). Please let me know what you all thought after reading Chapter 14. Prepare for the beginning…prepare for the fluttering hearts and the depths of desire. Here is Chapter 14 of "Harry Potter and a Marauder Revival."

Chapter 14: Imbroglio

The rest of the day passed by in a flash; one minute Harry found himself and Hermione talking with James, and the next, Harry was in the Great Hall eating his dinner. The following day followed the same suit as if time was now a timeless imbrication.

Harry and Hermione walked down to the second floor girls' lavatory. Before entering, they heard a hushed conversation taking place between James and Sirius.

"How could they have possibly found out about Remus' secret? It's not like he struts around the castle and tells random passerby he's a werewolf," Sirius whispered harshly.

"Give it a rest, Padfoot, they found out and that's it! Besides, Remus already knows they know and he didn't overact like you are doing right now," James retorted.

"Of course I'm overreacting, Prongs! Two strangers just found out a secret our best friend has been keeping from us for four years; and they found out about it within a couple of months! Surely you have to wonder about that," Sirius replied.

"Yes, I have thought about it but why would Harry and Hermione go out of their way in order to help Remus, then?"

"Well, we don't actually know they're really helping Remus, do we? They could be poisoning him for all we know," Sirius said.

"Oh come off it, Sirius! What, better yet, why would Harry and Hermione want to poison Remus for," Peter piped in, surprising Harry.

"How should I know Wormtail? I just think we should be cautious on all accounts!"

"I just don't understand why you don't trust them," James wondered suddenly. "They haven't given us a reason not to trust them."

"And they haven't given us a reason to trust them, either," Sirius shot back.

"What about returning my invisibility cloak? I lent it to them when they went off to Hogsmeade and they returned it to me that same night," James said.

"Well, what else would they have done with it if not return it to you?"

"Exactly! What exactly would Harry and Hermione have to gain harming Remus? The three of us will be there anyway," James reasoned.

This seemed to quiet Sirius, for the time being, as Harry looked down at Hermione. He saw a look of assuredness on her face which gave him the determination to enter into the bathroom.

When he did so, the first thing that caught his eye was the rising full moon, which was hanging against the dark blue sky, which he spotted through the vast bathroom window. The dark figures of James, Sirius, and Peter looked ominous against the growing white orb as neither Harry nor Hermione could see their faces.

James stepped out of the darkness and into one of the light beams the moon was providing.

"I was starting to wonder whether you two had lost your way," he said, grinning at both Harry and Hermione.

"Well, we don't have a map of sorts to guide us," Harry said playfully to which James. roared with laughter.

"You told them about the map, too," Sirius asked in disbelief, smacking his hand over his forehead.

James, ignoring him, turned to Hermione and said, "Are you sure it's ready?"

"Yes, I'm positive. All that is left to do is to administer the potion to Remus," she replied confidently.

"Well, then, shall we begin," James asked, smirking down at Hermione to which she rolled her eyes. She took out a three vials from her robes and marched into the stall housing the Wolfsbane Potion.

"You kept the potion in there? Is that sanitary," Sirius asked, looking with disgust as Hermione entered into the stall.

Harry found himself answering his future godfather, "No one ever comes in here."

"And why is that," Sirius shot back, placing his hands on his hips.

"Because of Moaning Myrtle," Harry replied.

"Who?"

"Moaning Myrtle," Harry said again.

"And who in Hogwarts' name is Moaning Myrtle?" No sooner had the words escaped his lips did the ghost form of Moaning Myrtle float out from one of the many empty stalls. Her blue form floated directly through Peter, who bent over, quivering in fear, as she glided over in front of Sirius.

"I'm Moaning Myrtle!" The ghost's face was mere inches away from Sirius who had a dumbfounded look upon his face.

"B-but, you're a g-g-ghost," Sirius stammered, pointing his finger directly at her.

"Well, aren't you intelligent," she mocked. "Of course I'm a ghost! What gave me away: was it my gliding or my floating?"

As Sirius was about to respond, Harry intervened, saying, "Enough. Never mind Myrtle, we were just getting ready to leave anyway."

"Oh, hello Harry, I didn't see you there," Myrtle said sweetly before fixating her eyes back towards Sirius.

As Sirius and Myrtle continued to glare at one another, Hermione exited the stall and walked over to Harry, holding up three vials filled with a midnight blue potion.

"Okay, so Remus needs to drink these three vials over the course of the night," Hermione stated. "Just drinking one will not keep his mind in a human-state for very long."

"Why not give him the entire cauldron-fill," James asked.

"Because, since Remus is not a full-growing wizard, these three capsules will be enough to last him the night; then, for the next full moon, we can give him another sampling until the cauldron is empty."

James nodded as he pocketed the three thin containers, looking over at Sirius and Myrtle who seemed to be in the midst of a staring contest.

"Sirius! Come on! Remus should be transforming any moment," James said urgently, as Sirius tore his gaze away from the ghost. "We need to go now!"

With that, the five Gryffindors left the bathroom and as silently as they could, tore down the empty halls of the castle, leaving through the unlocked oak front doors and into the quiet grounds.

As the grass crunched beneath their feet, the five students ran over to the Whomping Willow which thundered against the ever darkening sky. With breaking pace, Peter immediately transformed into a rat, leaving behind a mess of his robes lying on the ground.

Sensing movement, the branches of the ancient tree sprung to life instantly, however, with Peter being so small, he ran over to the knot unharmed. The tree stilled at once when Peter pressed the knot near its base.

Sirius walked forward and transformed into a great black dog and charged under the tree's roots, disappearing from view as James collected both of their clothes from the ground.

"Do you always collect their clothes," Hermione asked.

James looked over at her and said, "Yeah, pretty much. As I've told you already, my animagus form can't fit within the passageway leading to the Shrieking Shack."

As James walked forward, Hermione said, "Listen, James, there's something Harry and I have to tell you." He whirled around again and saw Hermione wringing her hands together in nervousness.

"What is it?"

"A couple of days ago, Harry and I went to the Shrieking Shack and we…well, we decorated the rooms up a bit," she finished, not meeting his hazel eyes.

"You decorated the shack?"

Harry nodded his head and replied, "Yes; Hermione thought it was best since Remus would be keeping his human mind, if the place felt more comfortable for him and I agreed with her."

"Okay, well let's get going then," James said, leading the way over to the Whomping Willow. One after the other, the three students disappeared from view into the darkness of the passageway.

Following a rat and a dog, James, Harry, and Hermione walked on for twenty minutes before James lifted himself up from the dark tunnel and up into the Shrieking Shack. After Harry entered the hovel, he turned around and helped Hermione up.

"I think it would be best if the two of you waited on the stairs," James said, eyeing Hermione nervously, "Just in case."

Harry nodded in agreement as James ascended the creaking staircase. "Nice decorations by the way, Hermione," he called back, noticing the garland that wound itself around the banister of the stairs, twinkling with bright white lights.

"Thanks but Harry helped me too," Hermione replied, smiling. Both Harry and Hermione cautiously climbed the stairs, hearing whispered voices as they inched closer to the top.

Peeking through the wide open door, the two students saw Remus, his face looking extremely pale and his eyes bloodshot.

James walked over to him and laid out the three vials and explained to Remus what Hermione had told him before.

Remus picked up one of the capsules and downed the potion without any hesitation. As the rat and the dog watched intently, James himself turned into a stag.

Harry thought to himself it mustn't be long now before Remus unwillingly transforms himself. No sooner had Harry thought those thoughts did Remus' form start to go rigid.

It seemed as if he was convulsing rather violently and was out of his own control. Harry and Hermione saw the iris's of Remus' eyes disappear as his mouth opened, screaming in agony. His fingernails morphed in sharp claws as his body began to grow at an alarming rate.

Harry and Hermione looked on in horror, seeing their former Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher wither in pain. As Remus continued to scream out, his teeth changed into jagged razors, his voice now turning into the sound of a tortured wolf.

The stag turned its head to look at Harry and Hermione worriedly. As Remus' clothes fell to the ground, he was now a werewolf. Yet, no howl was heard as the wolf looked intently around the room.

The look in the wolf's eyes told Harry and Hermione they had correctly brewed the Wolfsbane Potion. Harry felt Hermione grab his hand in the darkness of the stairs, as Harry could practically feel relief sweep through her.

The werewolf slowly walked over to the mirror Harry had fixed days previously, looking at his own reflection. A large paw started caressing the face of the wolf, its eyes growing soft in both wonder and admiration.

Harry and Hermione witnessed the four forms of animagi, sitting together in the upstairs room of the shack, garland hanging around the room, as the white lights twinkled on merrily around them.

"I think we'd better go, Hermione," Harry said at last, looking down at her beaming face. She nodded in return and started to walk down the stairs. Taking one last look at the four best friends, Harry then departed as well, leaving the comfortable silence behind him.

As they descended the stairs and entered into the dark tunnel, Harry said, "So are you relieved now you know your potion worked?"

"It's not my potion, Harry; besides, how many times do I have to remind you that you helped me with it," Hermione said over her shoulder.

"Well, help or no help, I'm just glad it worked," Harry said.

After a few moments of silence, Hermione said, "Harry, can I ask you a question?"

"Sure; what do you want to ask?"

"Well, I don't believe I ever asked you formally so I want to make sure I do," Hermione said, stopping suddenly, and turning around.

Harry, who had not anticipated Hermione stopping, ran into her, knocking her over. His quick seeker skills, however, managed to grab hold of Hermione before she hit the ground.

As they gazed into each other's eyes, Hermione softly said, "I'm sorry about that."

Harry, gazing intently into her warm brown iris's replied, "No, I'm sorry I wasn't watching where I was going."

Carefully, Harry pulled Hermione back to her own two feet as he waited patiently for her question.

She took a deep breath, looked into Harry's eyes and asked, "Would you like to attend Professor Slughorn's Christmas Ball with me?"

Harry smiled slightly and replied with a question of his own, saying, "Didn't we already agree to go with each other?"

Hermione knew Harry was taunting her playfully but she responded nonetheless, "Yes, but as I said before, I don't believe I asked you formally."

"Yes, Hermione, I would be more than happy to accompany you to Slughorn's party," Harry replied. "Come on, let's head back," Harry said, grabbing Hermione's hand and leading her down the dark passageway. Yet again, when Harry grabbed her hand, he felt an electric shock reverberate down the length of his arm; he could only wonder whether Hermione felt the same jolt he had when their hands touched.

Soon, the pair found themselves climbing out from under the tree, the dark figures illuminated against the giant, bright moon.

Harry, making sure to press the knot at the base of the Whomping Willow, still had Hermione's hand in his as they walked up toward the glowing castle.

Entering through the still unlocked oak front doors, the pair ascended the stairs off of the main entrance hall. Reaching the second-floor landing, a quiet voice said from behind them, "Late is the hour in which peacefulness is found, Miss Granger and Mr. Harry."

Startled, Harry instinctively pushed Hermione behind him while drawing his wand. A second later, he found he had his wand pointed at the headmaster of Hogwarts, Professor Dumbledore.

The aged wizard chuckled, holding up his hands in mock surrender, as he said, "Believe me, Mr. Harry, I mean no harm."

"Sorry, sir," Harry said, lowering his wand and placing it back in his Gryffindor robes. "I just didn't see you there."

"Nor I, you, though I am rather pleased we ran into this festive gathering of sorts; if the two of you would please follow me up to my office," Professor Dumbledore said, leading both Harry and Hermione up three flights of stairs and down a long corridor.

Harry noticed the headmaster was not in sleeping attire as he and Hermione kept pace with Dumbledore's long strides. Soon enough, the trio found themselves standing in front of the stone gargoyle, barring entrance up to the office of Dumbledore.

"Fizzing Whizzbees," Professor Dumbledore called out. Instantly, the gargoyle jumped aside, revealing a staircase leading up to his quarters.

Upon entering the room, two cushioned chairs appeared with the flick of Dumbledore's wand.

"Please, have a seat and make yourselves comfortable," he said, walking behind his own desk and sitting down.

"Now, I wish to let the two of you know that finding a solution to your dilemma is coming to an end. I have not found the perfect explanation, however, I believe I am bound to make a breakthrough sooner rather than later in which both of you will be sent back to your own time."

"And will we have to give up anything to do so, professor," Hermione asked anxiously, both of her hands gripping the arms of her chair tightly.

"No, with this new method I have discovered, nothing will have to be given up for you to return to your own time," Professor Dumbledore answered, his bright blue eyes twinkling behind his half-moon spectacles.

Hermione breathed a loud sigh of relief as she leaned back in her chair, clearly happy with the new development. Although Harry felt happy Hermione was at ease, he, himself, was surprisingly bothered that they would be going back.

The headmaster seemed to sense this as well for he asked, "Mr. Harry, you do not seem affected by this information in any way whatsoever. May I ask if there is a problem?"

Harry looked into the electric blue eyes of the Hogwarts head, feeling as if he was x-raying Harry intently.

Seeing no reason to lie, Harry said, "I'm just not sure if I want to go back, actually."

Hermione shot him a warning look which Harry interpreted as 'do not give any crucial information away that could alter the future.'

"I'm afraid to ask why, although I'm not too sure either one of you could answer my question on the basis of what could happen," Dumbledore said, staring at Harry with increasing curiosity.

Harry stood up from his chair and began pacing around the office, not feeling comfortable sitting down.

"It's just that, the time Hermione and I come from…it is not a great time," Harry said, not meeting Hermione or Dumbledore's eyes. "Heaving burdens are placed on those in which they ought not to be placed. Many people expect great things from those that see nor feel any hope; that is what we have to go back to."

Professor Dumbledore placed the tips of his fingers together and rested them under his chin, seeming deep in thought.

"I don't know if it's cowardly or not but that's just how I feel," Harry finished, plopping down in his chair once again.

"Mr. Harry, I obviously cannot remedy your situation without knowing what it is and I'm not asking you to tell me. But thinking of your thoughts and actions as cowardly is certainly incorrect."

Harry looked up to see Dumbledore looking directly at him, a warm look upon the powerful wizard's face.

"Voicing your own thoughts and opinions about trying and difficult times is the first step in admitting and accepting uncertainty, for nothing is for certain in our world. Indeed, magic we have, though power it holds not. The test of a true hero comes not from outside forces but rather from internal questions. You, Mr. Harry, pose questions that require a great deal of thought and hold a certain amount of weight that is coming crashing down on your shoulders.

"But you must fight on, Mr. Harry. A war is only won when one side prevails. If a war comes to a draw, are both sides truly better off?"

Harry looked down to the office floor, mulling over Professor Dumbledore's words in his head. He shifted his gaze over to Hermione who was sitting on the edge of her seat, hanging on to every thought their headmaster voiced.

"I just wish that in our time, we had more unity and more of a willingness to stand together. Why is that so difficult to achieve," Harry asked, looking once again over at Dumbledore.

In response to Harry's question, he gave a small smile. "I'm afraid, Mr. Harry, that achieving unity is a very difficult task to accomplish. With each person comes another mind and no two minds are alike. I could even call into question the time we are so woefully in right now: Lord Voldemort and his Death Eaters poison the ranks that stand against theirs. In doing so, they create fear and terror which causes any opposition to dissipate in a fortnight."

"But why can't we use that tactic against them? We can't we spread panic amongst them," Harry asked.

"Because we have something that's worth fighting for; something that's worth dying for. As I bid the two of you a good night, I want both of you to remember one last thing: life's hardest battles come to its strongest people."

As the two students left the headmaster's office, Hermione stopped Harry while walking down one of the long corridors.

"Harry, why didn't you tell me about this," Hermione questioned.

"Tell you about what?"

"That you think it might be cowardly by not wanting to go back to our own time," Hermione explained.

Harry thought for a moment then shrugged his shoulders, stating, "I just wasn't comfortable saying it out loud; if I did, then it makes it seem like I'm a coward for wanting to stay here. But, with Dumbledore, I get this feeling like he knows what we are thinking so I found no reason not to say it."

Hermione nodded, accepting Harry's answer. "Well, do you feel better now?"

"In a way, I do feel a lot better but that still doesn't take away the fact what the prophecy states. But, I do realize that I have many people that will support me every step of the way. I've got Dumbledore, the entire Weasley family, Hagrid, Professor McGonagall, Remus and Tonks -,"

"Ahem, ahem, I think you're forgetting about someone," Hermione intervened.

Harry thought about her comment and said, "Well, I said I have Dumbledore, the Weasleys, Hagrid, McGonagall, Remus, and Tonks…nope, I'm sure that's everyone."

Hermione smacked him in the arm playfully as he smiled down at her. "Of course, I can't forget about Hermione."

Harry, in this brief moment of good-humor, wondered how he could instantly change from being moody to fooling around with Hermione.

Hermione wound her arm around Harry's as they headed back towards Gryffindor Tower, ending a long day, reading to begin anew.

The following morning, after Harry and Hermione had breakfast, they headed to Charms. Filing inside the classroom, Harry was not surprised when Remus did not show up. However, James, Sirius, and Peter walking in as if they were still half-asleep.

In the next moment, Professor Flitwick appeared and said, "A good morning to you all! Now, today we will be…Mr. Potter, Mr. Black, and Mr. Pettigrew, come alive if you will! Now, where was I? Oh, yes, well today we will be practicing the bird-conjuring charm. Now can anyone tell me what this charm -,"

Before Professor Flitwick could finish asking his question, both Hermione and Lily's hands shot into the air.

"Very well, Miss Evans?"

"The bird-conjuring charm conjures a flock of birds; it is given by the incantation ' _AVIS_ '," Lily said.

"Excellent, ten points to Gryffindor! Now, I want each of you to think hard about conjuring birds; believe in your abilities to do so and you will accomplish this charm. Carry on then!"

Harry closed his eyes and focused on conjuring a flock of birds from his wand. However, after a few moments of concentration, Harry heard a twittering near him.

Peeking his eyelids open, Harry saw Hermione had already successfully conjured her birds which were flying around her head in a circle.

"My goodness, Miss Granger, I do not believe I've seen anyone successfully cast the spell as quickly as you have," an astonished Professor Flitwick announced. "Take twenty points to Gryffindor," he said, leaving a beaming Hermione behind him.

Harry smiled to himself and closed his eyes in concentration again. Thinking hard, Harry, once again hearing the twittering of the birds above, firmly said, " _AVIS_." Harry opened his eyes and saw, to his immense relief, he had also conjured a ring of birds.

"Great job, Harry," Hermione said, smiling proudly over at him.

"Thanks; um, great job to you too."

"Detention, Mr. Black, and ten points from Gryffindor for sleeping in class," barked Professor Flitwick. Harry was surprised by how loud his Charms teacher was, taking into consideration he was a tiny wizard.

As Harry shook his head in exasperation, Hermione leaned over and said, "This morning, Lily and I received our 'official' invitations to Professor Slughorn's party. It is in a couple of weeks, actually."

"Really? But we haven't any dress robes," Harry commented, suddenly feeling very warm.

"I think I'm just going to transfigure one of my school clothes into a simple dress," Hermione replied. "I don't want to do anything too fancy and besides, I don't have any money. And I especially don't want to loan money from James again."

"You can do that – transfigure your clothes into something else? We haven't learned that yet."

"I know, but I read ahead in our Transfiguration book and we're supposed to learn that when we come back from winter break."

"I take it we're staying here over the break," Harry asked.

"Yeah, I mean there's nowhere else for us to go," Hermione replied.

For the rest of the lesson, Harry and Hermione conversed quietly about Slughorn's party as Professor Flitwick took away another ten points from Gryffindor as Sirius had fallen back asleep.

Later that day during lunch, Hermione and Lily were talking about Slughorn's upcoming ball.

"So did you ask anyone yet, Lily," Hermione asked.

Before answering, Lily looked over shyly at James who was laughing loudly at a joke Sirius had just told him.

"No, but I plan to soon," she replied.

"I take it that you're planning to ask James," Hermione conceded as Lily nodded her head.

"It's not obvious, is it," she asked.

"Well I have noticed that lately, you do seem to look at James more often than usual…not that it's a bad thing or anything," Hermione said.

"Yeah, well we still have another two weeks before the ball so I think I'm going to ask him soon," Lily added.

"What made you change your mind suddenly," Hermione asked.

Lily thought about this for a moment as Harry looked at her intently. "It's just that he's changed suddenly, mainly when he's around you two, actually. Before you guys came, he's always been extremely arrogant and cocky. But recently, he hasn't been acting like that; he's more humble now and I like that aspect about him."

Hermione smiled over at Lily. "I'm sure a time will come where you will have the perfect opportunity to ask him."

The perfect opportunity came sooner than Harry had thought. Later that night, while in his dormitory getting ready for bed, James burst inside, a huge smile on his face.

"What are you so happy about, James" Sirius called out, watching James make his way over to his bed.

"I, gentlemen, am happy because a lovely Miss Evans just asked me to accompany her to Slughorn's Christmas ball."

Sirius' eyes bulged as Peter's mouth dropped open in shock.

"A-are you serious," Sirius stuttered, looking at James with both surprise and astonishment mixed over his facial features. "You're not having a go as us, are you?"

"Would I ever joke about my feelings with Evans," James asked.

Sirius considered this for a moment before he went over to his best friend and clapped him on the shoulder. "How did this happen?"

"I don't really know, actually, because it all happened so fast. She just came out and asked me after Defense Against the Dark Arts."

"And how did you react initially," Peter asked.

James laughed as he replied, "I don't think I actually said anything at first; I was too stunned to speak. Once I found I had the power to talk, I said 'yes'."

"What do you think about this, Harry," Sirius had asked him suddenly.

"What? Oh, I think that's fantastic," Harry said, throwing them a smile. Ever since he and Hermione had brewed the Wolfsbane Potion for Remus, and seeing that it worked, Sirius had been on much friendlier terms with them to Harry's immense relief.

"Are you going to the party," James asked, looking over Harry.

"Yeah, I'm actually going with Hermione," he replied. James and Sirius looked at each other knowingly. "What," Harry asked, eyeing the looks they were giving one another.

"Sirius and I always thought there was something going on between you and Hermione," James replied, smiling coyly.

"There's nothing going on between us," Harry defended, not believing his own words.

"Sure there isn't," Sirius said smartly. "You may notice nothing between you and Hermione but everyone else does."

"By the way, I believe we are due to take another trip to Hogsmeade," James said.

"Why is that," Peter squeaked in.

"Because, our friend Harry, does not have dress robes for the ball."

The following weeks flew by in a daze as the atmosphere of Hogwarts castle turned into festive cheer. Garland and wreaths had hung over every door, as mistletoe seeped out from the nooks and crevices of the castle. The Great Hall now housed twelve Christmas trees as snow had begun to fall outside the walls of Hogwarts. Fairies had arrived and decorated the castle with multi-colored lights.

The night of ball, Harry and James had dressed into their dress robes as a heavy snow pummeled their dormitory window. Sirius, Remus, and Peter were looking on with glee at their two friends fumbling with their bowties.

"You two look so hopeless," Sirius commented, smiling ruefully.

"Shut it, Sirius," James said, straightening his collar to which Sirius roared with laughter.

"Oh to be young in love," he replied.

Harry's heart was beating in anticipation. As happy was Harry was about going with Hermione to the Christmas ball, he was now nervous about what he would have to do at the party. Was Hermione expecting him to dance with her? Would she expect a goodnight kiss-on-the-cheek from Harry when the night was through?

Although Harry had attended the Yule Ball before, going with Hermione to Slughorn's party had Harry reeling in greater anxiousness.

Taking one last look at himself in the mirror, James turned to Harry and said, "Well, I think we're both ready as we'll ever be." Turning around, James asked, "So what do you think?"

Silence engulfed the room until Sirius, Remus, and Peter howled with laughter.

"What is so funny," James asked. None of his friends answered as they were now crying with laughter.

James rolled his eyes as he followed Harry out their dormitory and down the staircase into the Gryffindor common room.

"How are you feeling, Harry," James asked.

Truthfully, Harry felt like he was going to be sick. "I'm fine," he answered.

"Really? Because you're turning green," James replied.

Harry shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts about the night ahead. He looked out of the common room window and saw a dark, snow-ridden landscape. Seeing James' reflection in the window, Harry turned around and asked, "What about you? How are you feeling James?"

"Like I'm going to choke to death from this bowtie," he answered, pulling the bowtie looser.

Harry smiled as he began to watch the flames flicker in the grate of the common room. "Listen, Harry, before we leave for the party, I just want to genuinely say 'thank you' for everything you and Hermione have done. Helping Remus with the Wolfsbane Potion was something I would never even dream of. And also…I guess, in one way or another, you inadvertently got Lily to notice more other than some stuck-up Quidditch player."

Harry smiled slightly over at his father and said, "James, the latter part you did all on your own; Hermione and I had nothing to do with that."

"Even so, I felt like by you two being here has improved my attitude a lot for reasons I cannot explain. You guys mean a lot to me, more than can be expressed in words," James said, placing a hand on Harry's shoulder.

"It's no problem. I guess I should thank you as well for being there for me and Hermione when we first arrived at Hogwarts. I don't think Hermione will ever forget the very detailed tour of the paintings you gave her after we first left the hospital wing."

James laughed loudly as he said, "Well, it was the least I could do for the two new students. You know, though, I still can't get over the fact of how alike you and I look. I swear it's like looking in a mirror. You almost seem like my s-,"

But James was cut off when they both heard an "Ahem, ahem."

Harry and James turned their heads towards the source of the noise and saw Lily slowly descending the stairs, her golden dress robes swishing softly around her ankles.

"You look a-amazing," James breathed out, his eyes nearly bulging out of their sockets.

Lily blushed lightly as she said, "Thank you."

"Where's Hermione," James asked, looking behind Lily, expecting to see Harry's date.

"Oh, she'll be down in a minute."

"You two go on ahead…Hermione and I will be there soon enough," Harry said. James nodded once and stuck out his arm in which Lily wrapped her own arm around.

Before leaving, Lily leaned towards Harry and whispered, "She looks amazing." With that, the pair left Gryffindor Tower, arm in arm.

Harry started pacing around the common room, rift with increasing eagerness. His heart was extremely jumpy, seeming as if it would jump out of his chest at any moment. His breathing quickened as he closed his eyes, focusing on evening out his breaths.

Upon opening them again, Harry turned towards the stairs and felt his breath hitch instantly: Hermione was slowly making her way down the staircase, her dark green robes beautifully complimenting her glamorous style.

Harry stopped pacing and watched as Hermione descended the stairs; in doing so, he remembered their time here in 1976. The few times he and Hermione had spent by the Black Lake clearly stuck out in his mind because their shared moments by the Black Lake were when Harry had decided one thing: Hermione had captured his heart.

Never admitting it before tonight, Harry stared into the warm, brown eyes of Hermione Granger. Never before had he seen her in the way he was seeing how now. It was not because of how she looked with her beautiful dress robes along with her hair and makeup done, it was because of who she was.

Hermione never saw Harry anything more than who he was as a person: Harry Potter. She never saw him as "The Boy Who Lived" or "The Chosen One." She just saw him as another human being, brought into a new world, fascinated by magic, just like Hermione was herself.

The first day they met on the train to Hogwarts, Harry had thought Hermione was just a bossy-know-it-all; how right he was to be. Her bossy attitude kept him grounded; it made him see the truths life had to offer if one could feel wanted.

Hermione gave him what Harry wanted: she gave him a place in a world where both of them were trying to gain footing. Harry and Hermione had only experienced the world of Muggles, not knowing why lay before their very eyes.

Now, Harry knew completely and with his entire heart that the young lady who stood before him was the sun to his internal darkness.

"You look absolutely stunning, Hermione," Harry said.

"Thank you, Harry. You look dashing yourself," she replied quietly.

"Shall we," Harry asked, sticking out his arm much like his father did earlier. Hermione smiled slightly as he tucked her arm within his and the pair departed from the common room.

Passing window after window decked with multi-colored Christmas lights, of a long corridor, Harry noticed Hermione was looking out at the snow.

"It's so graceful, isn't it, Harry? The snow outside," she said.

"Yes, it sure is beautiful," he replied.

On and on they walked, approaching Professor Slughorn's office. Round red orbs hung close to the ceiling, a single candle lighting up each sphere, casting red glows on Harry and Hermione as they walked underneath.

The sound of music and laughter grew louder and louder with each step the pair took. Turning another corner, Harry and Hermione saw a curtain of pink silk; beyond, Slughorn's Christmas jamboree was in full swing.

Passing the smooth screen, Harry and Hermione were awed by the extravaganza their Potions master had managed to pull off: his office had been transformed greatly, expanding from its initial size. Smooth drapes of midnight blue and glittering gold had lined itself up along the length of the ceiling, meeting directly in the middle, hosting a dazzling chandelier, from which diamonds were hanging from.

The walls of the office had been charmed to mask the walls as if one were standing in the middle of a large, quiet forest. A light fog was swirling around the bases of each tree as brightly colored fairies flew around the mock forest, twisting and winding itself between the leaves of the trees.

In one corner, an entire host of violins and a grand piano were playing on its own accord, casting the office in a peaceful rhythm. The harmonious mix of the strings of a violin and the soft pressing of the keys on the piano soothed the entire room.

On the only balcony within the entire office, Harry could see the soft snowfall continue to swirl around in the darkness outside.

Professor Slughorn stood proudly in the middle of the room, pairing up his most promising students with his contacts within the Ministry of Magic.

"This is beautiful," Hermione breathed out, taking in the quarters of the party.

"Yes, it definitely is," Harry replied. He spotted James and Lily and pointed them out to Hermione.

"Oh, don't they look so lovely together," Hermione said, looking over at the pair of them talking quietly with one another.

"Would you care for a drink, Hermione," Harry asked.

"Oh, yes, I would love one," she replied as Harry walked over to one wall lined with a massive set of assortments of snacks and drinks.

Grabbing two goblets of pumpkin juice, Harry traveled back to Hermione to find her in conversation with Professor Slughorn.

As Harry approached, their potions master walked away, beaming proudly.

"What did Slughorn want," Harry asked, handing Hermione her drink.

She rolled her eyes as she answered, "He just wanted me to meet someone from the ministry. I said I would once I had some food to eat."

"Are you hungry," Harry asked.

"No, I just said that so he would leave me alone."

After a few moments, Harry noticed many couples had started to sway slowly to the beat of the soft-playing music.

"Would you care for a dance," Harry asked nervously, placing out his hand for Hermione to take. She smiled widely and took his hand as he led her out on the dance floor.

Placing his hands on her hips as she wound her arms around his shoulders, Harry and Hermione started swaying to the tune of the beat.

"I'm not really good at this," Harry said, smiling in embarrassment.

"Which is strange considering you were a Triwizard Champion and had to dance in front of the entire school," Hermione chided, giving Harry a playful smirk.

"Yes, well, I think I was a bit distracted that night," he replied.

"Really? Why were you distracted," Hermione chided.

"Well, there was this one pretty girl who didn't really seem to take much notice of me because she, herself, was dancing with her own date," Harry explained.

"And who was this lucky girl?"

"You," Harry stated simply.

Shock crossed over Hermione's face. "Me?"

"Yes, Hermione, you."

"Harry…I don't know what to say."

"You don't have to say anything because you're here with me now," Harry said, pulling Hermione slightly closer to him.

As Hermione wound her arms more tightly across Harry's shoulders, Harry saw his mother and father dancing too, feet away from them. James had a glowing expression on his face while Lily could not keep from smiling.

Seeing his parents like this made Harry feel extremely happy inside. He then realized he wanted to tell Hermione something he had been harboring inside of him for so long.

"Say, Hermione, can I talk to you in private," Harry asked, looking down at her.

"Sure," she replied. Harry took her hand and guided her through the dancing crowd, passing a few tables, and leading her onto the balcony.

"What is it, Harry," Hermione asked, looking up at him.

As the snow continued to lightly fall on the balcony, Harry looked back and could make out dark couples dancing behind the lace curtain that obscured the balcony from view.

"Hermione, there's something I've been meaning to tell. I've known for a while now that I can't keep distancing myself from the people that care for me the most."

The violins played a sharp note as the piano continued to flow in time to a soft beat.

"This is especially hard for me to do since I'm not that great at displaying affection, seeing as who I grew up with."

Unbeknownst to Harry, James and Lily leaned into one another, kissing each other softly on the lips.

"Hermione, I've known you ever since we were eleven. I remember meeting you on the Hogwarts Express. I remember first year, saving you from that troll. I remember how scared I was in second year when I found out you were petrified. I remember how wonderful it felt to fly on Buckbeak with you, as we rescued Sirius. I remember how I watched you walk down the stairs in the entrance hall right before the Yule Ball, and I thought that no other beauty could match yours. And I remember last year when my heart stopped when I saw you fall in the Department of Mysteries…everything all makes sense now, Hermione."

After reaching a crescendo, the violins and piano stopped suddenly, giving way for the beautiful sounds of a harp that had come to life.

As its strings were strung, the snow had begun to fall slightly harder.

On the other side of the castle, as Dumbledore watched the snow pound harder against his office window, he knew it was time.

His heart racing a mile a minute, Harry Potter looked into the eyes of Hermione Granger as he said, "Hermione, I love you."

As the couple pulled together ever so slowly, the violins and the piano joined the harp with a moving piece of beautiful music.

Dumbledore closed his eyes and bowed his head as he stood in front of the window. His hands clasped behind his back, he wondered if he had made the correct decision.

Inching together slowly, Harry and Hermione's lips met for the very first time. The softness of the kiss sent shock waves through Harry Potter, as he felt elated that he had finally expressed his true feelings for his best friend, Hermione Granger.

After they broke apart, darkness surrounded the couple, plunging them back into madness.


	15. Concomitant

Harry Potter and a Marauder Revival

Author's Note: Well, I have decided to leave my "comments" in front of the content of the chapter instead of the end. I hope you all like my previous chapter and in this one, some things are revealed while many more questions will arise. Chapter 16 is a work-in-progress and will be posted **THURSDAY NIGHT**. Let me know what you all thought with a short review of Chapter 15!

Chapter 15: Concomitant

Her head was pounding and she was in a mighty uncomfortable position. It seemed as if she was actually lying on a stone floor; this was obviously impossible as just moments before, she and Harry had been in the office of Professor Slughorn for his annual Christmas ball.

The ball however, changed things forever. Harry Potter had finally confessed his love for Hermione Granger in the most absolute terms. Within in a beautiful setting, under a light snowfall, Harry had leaned down and kissed Hermione on the lips.

Cherishing the feeling when their lips had met, a smile crept onto the face of Hermione Granger. Yet, she still realized she was lying on the floor, mind you, in a still very painful arrangement.

Her eyelids fluttered open, seeing what looked to be a cathedral structure overhead. Tall beams mastered within a gothic architecture setting were all that Hermione could see when her eyes regained focus.

Where was she? This certainty did not look like the office of their potions master. Where was the enchanted forest with the little fairies flying about? Where were the beautiful midnight blue and glittering gold banners? Where were the violins, piano, and the harp that had bled beautiful and harmonious tones together in which the couples swayed in time with the music? Where were Lily and James? Where was Harry?

Harry! Looking quickly to her left and right, Harry Potter was nowhere to be seen. The boy who had finally confessed his untested feelings to her had mysteriously disappeared…or was it the other way around, for Hermione was all alone?

Hermione gingerly stood to her feet, pain rocketing through her entire spine. Cringing, she hobbled forward in the wide and empty space before her. Window after window she passed bore the blackest of nights; her shoes walked over the rough stone floor underneath.

This strange corridor seemed to have no end in sight. A sudden voice from behind her finally brought her out of her stupor.

"Why, Miss Granger, this is surely a welcome surprise." Whipping around, Hermione plunged her hand into her robes only to find her wand was missing. In fact, this was the first time she had noticed she was back in her Hogwarts uniform. Her dark green robes she had transfigured before the party was gone.

Eyeing the man who had spoken to her, there was no mistaking the white hair, the long beard, the half-moon spectacles, and the piercing blue eyes: Professor Dumbledore.

"Headmaster? What are you doing here? And where am I," Hermione asked, afraid she being too forward but her curiosity was currently taking full advantage of her.

"Ah yes, I find it difficult as to how to answer your questions with both a hint of mystery and finality. I think it would best to say you are everywhere within nowhere." The aged wizard clasped his hands together in front him, smiling warmly at the young Gryffindor.

"I don't understand; just a moment ago, Harry and I were in Professor Slughorn's office, attending his Christmas party, and the next moment, I am here, alone, without Harry," Hermione responded, confused by the wizard's previous answer.

"Never fear, Miss Granger, for you are not alone; I am here with you," the Hogwarts headmaster stated simply.

"I understand that, sir, but my question is, where are we exactly? I don't understand how I came to be here, wherever here is."

Nodding his head in acknowledgement, Professor Dumbledore carefully studied the witch. She shifted under his gaze, feeling as if she was being x-rayed.

"Miss Granger, I bear news in which I am positive will be deeply disturbing on accounts of what you are to find when you return back to your own time."

"You mean, Harry and I have gone back? But how is that possible? I remember you telling us just a few days ago that your solution was currently being investigated. How could we have gone back, well, gone forward, into time?"

"These are questions that deserve immediate attention and accurate answers for which, I am afraid to say, have no meaning to me, for I don't ever recall having a conversation with you or Mr. Potter about."

"Then how do you know who I am? How do you know about Harry," Hermione questioned, growing increasingly uneasy about the entire circumstance she now found herself in.

"You see, Miss Granger, I am Professor Dumbledore from your own time. I recall Harry Potter and you, Miss Granger, as being one of his best friends, along with a certain, Mr. Ronald Weasley."

"But then, how are you here, exactly?"

Dumbledore gave her another smile before replying, "That, I do not know. These are answers in which I will most certainly find out in the meantime."

"But, you said you have some bad news…how could you know the bad news if you do not know how you came to be here?"

"I know this, because it was I who saw both you and Mr. Potter, fall from the rafters of Hogwarts, onto the stone floor, the both of you rendered unconscious. Currently, your physical body lies in the hospital wing of Hogwarts where you are being taken care of by Madam Pomfrey and looked upon by Mr. Ronald and Miss Ginevra Weasley."

Shock flitted through Hermione; so much so, she had to lean against a window for support.

"I don't understand how we suddenly came back to our own time? This doesn't make any sense."

"I understand the questions you have, being from the past as you say you were, but you must understand, Miss Granger, that answers are not something to be called upon. Answers arrive at a time where everything will fall into place for one being or another. One day, the people of the world will all fall down and wait…only then, will we understand it all….everything that is nothing."

Hermione thought the headmaster's cryptic messages were getting her nowhere anytime soon. If she wanted some answers, she was going to force them out of him, with the assumption of course, he had the answers in the first place.

"Professor, you said that you had some bad news for me. Could you tell me what the news contains?"

"At the present time, I cannot. But you will find out soon enough."

"And when is soon enough," Hermione asked back.

"When you wake up."

Hermione nodded her head and decided on a different tactic. "Could you at least tell me what the news is about?"

Confirming her deepest fears, Dumbledore replied, "It is about Harry."

"What about Harry," she whispered, fearing what might come next.

"You see, Miss Granger, Mr. Potter has already awoke. For reasons that will explained in the near future, he was put back to sleep…with force."

"I don't understand what you mean by 'with force'," Hermione responded.

"Miss Granger, when you awake in the next couple of moments, you will find your present slightly different; not because the setting to which you are so accustomed to have changed, no. In fact, the people, in this case, person has been altered."

Tears welling up in her eyes, she asked, "How-why has Harry changed?"

Dumbledore shook his head from side to side, saying, "I do not know."

"How much has he changed," Hermione then asked.

Not answering her, the headmaster responded by saying, "Miss Granger, you are due back at any moment. Before you return, I want you to remember something that you should hold dear upon your imminent return: our strongest magic does not come from our wands but from our hearts."

Fearing the worst, Hermione could barely hear anything her headmaster was saying at the present moment.

"Miss Granger, you are going back to your own time, to 1996. Just remember what I have said: everything will reveal itself before the end."

With that, Professor Dumbledore was gone. Looking around, in the next instant, Hermione felt herself fumble forward. Feeling as if she was in a never-ending freefall, Hermione's stomach flew up into her throat; her mouth open to scream yet no sound could be heard.

Shutting her eyes will of all her might, her hands were sweating while her heart was thumping madly against her chest, she couldn't breathe.

Feeling as if she was about to breathe her last, her vision was suddenly clouded with black dots; surely, dying was not as painful as this?

In what Hermione thought was her final moments before her departure from this world, she gasped loudly, and bolted into an upright position, on her own bed in the hospital wing of Hogwarts School, before passing into nothingness.

In what felt like a matter of seconds, Hermione opened her eyes. She found Madam Pomfrey had conjured a little privacy for Hermione to indulge in to when she finally awoke.

Getting up from her bed, Hermione noticed first, that there was no pain anywhere in her body; not in her head nor in her spine; she felt like she had a new body.

Secretively, she peeked her head around the curtains which privatized her bed. Upon doing so, she saw another bed had curtains around it much like her own. 'That has to be Harry,' Hermione thought to herself.

Remembering what Professor Dumbledore had told her, her breathing quickened. Supposedly, something disastrous had happened to him when coming back to their own time. But this again begged the question: how exactly did they return to their own time? Something was amiss about their current predicament yet Hermione had no leads from which to follow.

Stepping around her curtain, Hermione silently made her way over to the other pair of curtains which were situated at the opposite end of the ward.

Before she could reach her destination, she heard, "Hermione!"

Turning around, two pairs of heads covered in red hair, came running towards her. She was pummeled in a bone-crushing hug. Suddenly feeling like laughing, Hermione burst out a joyful noise.

Instantly, the hugging stopped. The form of Ron and Ginny Weasley stepped back from their friend, their eyes wide with trepidation.

"Um, Hermione, why are you laughing," Ron asked, looking uncertainly at one of his best friends.

"Because I'm so glad I'm back here with you guys," Hermione said, enveloping the Weasley siblings in a hug of her own.

"But you were never gone," Ginny called out while being squashed against Hermione.

Hermione loosened her arms around them and said, "What are you talking about?"

Ron answered by saying, "You just said you're glad to be back but, Hermione, you never left."

"Then what am I doing here in the hospital," she countered.

"You took a nasty hit to the head," Ginny replied, "Looks like you slipped while walking down a flight of stairs, according to Professor Dumbledore."

Hermione looked lost; for one of the few times in her life, Hermione did not how to respond to what the Weasley siblings were telling her.

"Are you sure you're alright, Hermione? You look extremely pale," Ron said.

"Yes, yes, I'm fine; I guess I took a harder hit to the head than I remember," she replied, massaging her temples. "Have you guys seen Harry?"

With that question, Ron and Ginny shared a look between them that spoke volumes.

"What is it," Hermione asked, looking back and forth between Ron and Ginny.

"Well -," Ron started, looking over at his sister.

"You see -," Ginny started, but before she could finish, they heard a bustling of sorts nearby.

In the next instant, the patron of the hospital wing, Madam Pomfrey, flew out of her office, looking at Hermione.

"Why, Miss Granger, I didn't know you were up and about," she exclaimed, a wide smile on her face. "Come here, now, and let me do a final examination of you."

"I have to see Harry," Hermione said determinedly.

"After your check-up, dear, I really must insist upon this to examine you for any further injury; you had a nasty fall down a flight of steps," she said, running her wand over Hermione.

After a minute of quiet muttering, Madam Pomfrey finally said, "Well, you look perfect, Miss Granger. Just let me alert the headmaster; wait here for a moment, if you please," she said, sending a vapor of blue mist that flew out of the ward.

While Hermione waited, she could not help but look over at the curtains that was obscuring her view of Harry. Just how bad was this in which neither, Dumbledore, Ron, or Ginny could tell her about Harry's condition.

The hospital doors creaked open. Upon turning her head, Hermione saw both Professors Dumbledore and McGonagall enter.

As Ron and Ginny stepped back, the two teachers approached Hermione, a kindness showing from both of their eyes.

"How do you feel, Miss Granger," Dumbledore asked, looking at her.

"I feel fine; confused about circumstances but fine nonetheless," she answered. "But I really want to know what happened to Harry. No one seems to want to tell me anything."

Hearing her words, Professor Dumbledore looked over to the curtains where Hermione's object of attention was hiding.

"Very well, then, I believe Miss Granger does deserve answers. Excusing Madam Pomfrey, if you would all follow me outside of the ward, it is best to give both Mr. Potter and Miss Granger some brief moments alone."

As the party departed, Hermione walked over to the curtains of where Harry was. When she reached out to pull the curtains apart, Dumbledore said, "We shall be waiting, Miss Granger, just outside these doors."

With a nod of her head, she saw the headmaster shut the doors of the hospital wing while Madam Pomfrey went inside her own office. Before she closed the door, Hermione could have sworn she heard a sniffle from the matron.

Breathing deeply in and deeply out, Hermione parted the curtains and saw Harry lying in the hospital bed, his eyes closed, and his breaths even.

She pulled up a chair and sat beside his bed, watching him drifting among the highest of the clouds and swimming in the deepest of oceans for that is where our dreams take us: beyond reality.

As Hermione waited for Harry to awake, she thought about why Dumbledore, Ron, and Ginny seemed too hesitant to answer her when she questioned Harry's current state; to her own eyes, Harry looked completely fine.

Hermione's thoughts then drifted to what Harry had both said and done back in 1976: telling her he loved her and then kissing her. She felt elated at the time and she still did: it seemed like a long ago memory of a forgotten dream now they were both back in their present time.

If he was willing, Hermione was ready to give their relationship a chance. Of course, being best friends aided their closeness with one another and Hermione would never trade Harry's friendship for anything.

Harry stirred in his sleep; in the next instant, his eyes fluttered open. Reaching toward his bedside table, Harry rubbed the sleep out of his eyes and put on his glasses.

Hermione smiled and said, "Hi Harry."

Hearing a strange voice, Harry whipped his head around and saw a strange girl sitting there. Not knowing what else to say, he whispered, "Hello."

"How are you feeling," she asked.

"I feel mighty tired but fine all the same," he replied.

"That's good. I actually just woke up myself," she said with a small smile playing on her lips.

"Um, right," he responded, wondering why this strange girl was telling him this.

"It just feels so different being here, now, when we were both in 1976 for months," she said, looking out of a window near his bed.

"You are from the past," Harry asked, looking at this girl in a strange manner.

She turned her gaze onto him and asked, "Harry, don't you remember? The two of us were sent back to 1976 through some rare occurrence and we just came back here to 1996."

"Who's this Harry you're talking about," he asked again.

Worry scurried quickly over the face of this girl that was speaking to him. He could tell he had said something wrong.

"I didn't mean to offend you or anything," he quickly explained, "But it seems as if you know who I am but I don't know who you are."

"You don't know who Harry Potter is," this girl asked.

"Well, everyone is telling me that's my name but I don't remember who I am; my name, my parents, my life…anything really."

As Hermione watched a confused and forgetful Harry, she realized now what was wrong with him.

"Excuse me, but I need a quick chat with the headmaster," Hermione said to him, looking him directly in his bright green eyes which reminded her so much of Lily.

He nodded once, meeting her gaze for a few seconds before quickly looking away, his mind scattered.

As her heart constricted, Hermione stood up from her seat and walked over to the hospital doors. Opening them, she saw the headmaster standing about alone, waiting patiently for Hermione to come to him, a small and understanding frown set upon his face.

"Miss Granger, I take it you understand what Harry is going through," he said, examining her shocked facial features.

"I don't understand, professor, he lost his mind," she asked.

"That and his memories; he has no recollection of who I am, nor Mr. and Miss Weasley. Judging by the shock on your face, I would assume the same from you," he said to which Hermione nodded silently.

"How could this have happened," Hermione asked, disbelief coursing through her body.

"Miss Granger, do you remember what I had told you before you woke up," Dumbledore asked, his hands clasped together behind his back.

"How do you remember that," she asked.

"Oh, Miss Granger, that is not something to remember for that did not happen in the past…it happened in your head."

"But I thought that wasn't real. I thought it was a dream of sorts."

"Just because it is a dream doesn't mean it's not real, nor does it mean it is. I told you I don't remember you from the year 1976 but I do remember you from your own time, meaning our present."

"Why do I have all of my memories when Harry doesn't," Hermione asked, folding her arms over her chest.

"That is an answer we will have to discover together," the headmaster responded gravely.

"So you don't know," Hermione assured.

"No, I do not," he said, shaking his head from side to side. "Please remember that I am just a man, a wizard, yes, but still a man. I do not have nor hold all of our answers and I never claimed I did. This is a road for which mysteries and secrets will be unveiled to us."

"So, what happens now, then? How is Harry going to cope with everything that he must know?"

"We begin again. We do not force everything upon him at once for he would surely panic. But everything must be done again, Miss Granger. We shall start from the beginning."

"The beginning?"

"Yes, he must learn everything once again."

"And how will he do that," she asked.

At this, the headmaster smiled. "From his friends: from you, Mr. and Miss Weasley. Of course, he will have all of the professors at his disposal as well. Will you help Mr. Potter?"

Not hesitating an instant, Hermione said, "Of course; he's been there for all of us more than once. I will surely be here for him."

"Excellent," Dumbledore stated. "I have set aside time for the four of you to train him in magic. Of course, since you, Mr. and Miss Weasley are not qualified teachers, Mr. Potter is free to ask any professors for help at any time."

"But what about his future, headmaster? What about his parents and his family? I'm assuming he would want to know about that sooner or later?"

"Yes, that is something that must be treaded on very carefully," he stated. "But, I'm afraid, a time will come when Mr. Potter must be told everything."

Sharing in on the worry their headmaster was now exhibiting, Hermione understood Harry's true test was yet to come.

"I think for starters, Miss Granger, you should chat with him. Introduce him back into the magical world. But don't fret, help will soon be sent your way," Dumbledore said, his blue eyes twinkling.

"What kind of help, sir," she asked.

But Dumbledore just smiled and said kindly, "Be on with it." With a nod of his head, Hermione reopened the doors of the ward and stepped inside.

Harry's gaze settled upon Hermione as she walked towards his bed, a small smile on her face.

"Could you please tell me where I am," Harry asked when Hermione sat down in her old seat. "I don't understand what's going on here?"

Hermione felt as if she had aged a hundred years. For now, Hermione had settled on the basics.

"You're name is Harry Potter. You're currently in a boarding school called Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."

At this, Harry actually smirked. "But we all know magic isn't real…right," he asked, still smiling playfully.

His smile was infectious as Hermione felt her own smile appear on her face. "Believe what you will, Harry, but magic is very real."

While his smile waned slightly, Harry looked as if he didn't believe a word Hermione was telling him.

"And what's your name," he asked.

"My name is Hermione Granger. I am a Muggleborn witch, born to two dentists."

"What is a Muggleborn," Harry asked.

"Well, a Muggleborn is a wizard or witch born to non-magical parents; people who possess no magic at all are called Muggles."

Harry nodded his head, a small smile still tugging the corners of his mouth upwards.

"You think this is all a joke, don't you," Hermione asked, seeing the look on his face.

"Well, I mean, come on, magic, really? Everyone knows it's not real, right?"

Before Hermione could respond, the hospital doors opened. Hermione turned around and saw Hagrid approaching them, his eyes red and puffy as Hermione had assumed Professor Dumbledore informed Hagrid about Harry's condition before entering.

Looking back at Harry, Hermione saw his eyes go wide at the sight of Hagrid; half wizard and half giant, Hagrid stood near twelve feet in height.

By way of greeting, Hermione jumped up from her seat and ran over to Hagrid. Initially, arriving in 1976 seemed like a foreign world to Hermione until she got used to having James and Lily around.

Returning twenty years back into the future, Harry and Hermione's actual present seemed as if Hermione had awaken in an alternate reality with Hagrid being someone she could closely associate with back before all of this mess had transpired.

As she threw her arms around his mid-section, Hagrid crumpled forward slightly to give Hermione a light hug, tears pouring down his face.

"Harry, I would like you to meet someone who is very fond of you," Hermione started, her own tears welling up in her eyes, "This, Harry, is Rubeus Hagrid."

Harry, still looking completely dumbfounded, put out his hand for Hagrid to shake. Hagrid, however, who was near a breaking point as he entered the hospital ward, completely broke apart, as his huge bear-like arms wrapped around the entire bed Harry was currently lying in, sobbing harder than ever before.

Not knowing his own strength, Hagrid had unintentionally broke the frame of the bed as Harry's eyes widened in shock.

" Sorr' 'bout tha'," Hagrid whimpered, standing up straight and wiping his eyes with his blanket-sized handkerchief.

"Don't worry about it," Harry stated, still surprised by this colossal man standing near him.

Hermione reached inside her Hogwarts robes and pulled out her wand. Flicking a spell over towards Harry's bed, the piece of furniture had instantly corrected itself.

If possible, Harry's eyes widened even further as his eyebrows shot up into his hairline. "How did you do that," he asked, sounding like a young child discovering magic for the very first time.

Smiling slightly, Hermione responded by saying, "Magic…remember, something you say doesn't exist?"

Turning a light red, Harry looked away from Hermione as Hagrid plopped down on the floor next to his bed.

"Harry, I don' know how you're goin' to take this, but Harry, you're a wizard," Hagrid said deeply, looking into Harry's bright green eyes. "You ca' do 'hat and so much more," he pressed on.

"But I haven't got…one of those," Harry said, looking over at Hermione's wand.

Reacting instantly, Hermione reached over to Harry's other bedside table and held up his wand for his own examination.

"This, Harry, is your wand," Hermione explained carefully as Harry eyed it with trepidation. "I know this is extremely difficult to take in but everything Hagrid has already told you is correct; Harry, you are a wizard."

The look on Harry's face told Hermione he was trying to process all of this new information. Upon the seconds of waking up, Harry had no idea who he even was. Now, not a day later, a girl who looked his age along with a rather giant man had told him magic was indeed real and that he was a part of this magical world.

"I don't understand, though, why I don't remember any of this. Why don't I remember who I am," Harry asked, looking at both Hermione and Hagrid in turn.

At this question, Hagrid stood and turned away, blowing his nose which sounded like an orchestra of trumpets had suddenly blasted to life. As he strode out of the ward, crying incoherent words, Harry asked, "Is he going to be okay?"

Turning to look at Harry after she watched the disappearing of Hagrid's back, Hermione responded, "He tends to get over sentimental but it's all within good reason. You mean a lot to him, Harry, even if you don't remember why.

"To answer your previous question, no one knows why you woke up but don't have any memory to match. For now, it is a mystery. But, a wise man once told me that everything will be revealed before the end."

"So do you agree with me in saying this is a lot to take in," Harry asked, looking up at Hermione.

"I agree with you completely, Harry. I cannot even fathom what I would do if I was in your situation," she replied. "But we are here to help you. Not just me and Hagrid, but Ron and Ginny and Professor McGonagall…we're here to help you," she reiterated.

Nodding his head, Harry then asked, "Well, can you start with who I am and where I come from?"

Sighing, Hermione said, "Well, besides the fact that your name is Harry Potter, you grew up with your aunt, uncle, and cousin in Little Whinging. You were left on their doorstep since you were a baby. On your birthday when you turned eleven years old, Hagrid came to visit you to tell you, you were a wizard and have been accepted into Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, which is where we are right now.

"You came here in 1991 and have been here ever since. On the Hogwarts Express, the train in which students take to come to Hogwarts, you met your best friend, Ronald Weasley."

At this, Harry took the chance to interrupt by asking, "I wasn't friends with you?"

Smiling, Hermione replied by saying, "No, Harry, at first, we were not friends."

"Then how do you know so much about me?"

"Because during our first year together, we became close friends; after a run-in with a troll that was set loose in the castle."

"A troll?"

Hermione nodded her head at his reaction. "But after that, you, Ron, and I became very close friends. Now, we are in the year 1996 and in our sixth year of Hogwarts. We only have one more year until we graduate from school and start our working careers. I know this is a lot to take in, Harry, but do you believe me?"

Not answering her, Harry reached for his wand. She handed it over to him while he felt the stick vibrate slightly under his touch. Inwardly smiling, Harry gave his wand a small flick at nothing in particular.

Instantly, a window situated opposite Harry shattered apart, sending small shards of glass flying into the air.

The hospital office door banged open as a flustered Madam Pomfrey came running out, screaming, "What in the world happened?"

Turning her glare onto Harry and Hermione, she saw Harry holding his wand in his hand, looking petrified at what he had done.

Keeping her anger at bay, she said as calmly as she could muster, "Mr. Potter, I know you have taken quite a hit to the head but please refrain from blowing apart my hospital. Miss Granger, I trust you are able to keep his magic from bursting at the seems?" With a final glare, she waved her wand and the window repaired itself instantly. Bustling away, they watched as the matron closed her office door shut.

"Sorry about that," Harry said, looking over first at Hermione apologetically then at his wand in awe.

"It's no matter, Harry. All that matters is that you believe in your magical ability," Hermione replied.

Now smiling, Harry said, "That felt incredible; like some other-worldly force of nature had rocketed through my arm."

Confused, Hermione asked, "What do you mean?"

"Well, when I flicked my wand, I just wanted to see what would happen. However, when I did so, I felt this powerful surge rush through my arm and into my wand; it was an incredible experience."

Seeing the look on Hermione's face, he asked, "You don't feel the same when you flick your own wand?"

In any other circumstance, Hermione would have laughed loudly at Harry' choice of words; but seeing as she had never felt the occurrence Harry had just described, she was at another loss for words.

"No, actually, I haven't," she whispered quietly so Harry could barely hear her.

"Oh…well it felt amazing," he said excitedly.

"Well I'm glad you think so because when you feel up to it, we, meaning Ron, Ginny, and I, are to help you learn back your magical ability; of course with the aid of the professors as well," Hermione stated.

"You mean, I can get to go to school here," he asked with dawning apprehension.

"Of course, Harry, you have been coming to Hogwarts for the past six years. Why would you not continue on with your education?"

Suddenly, Harry looked down, seeming as if he was embarrassed by what he was about to say. "Seeing as I don't remember much of anything and how magic is a whole new experience for me at the moment, I had thought I wouldn't be allowed to come back."

Smiling, Hermione took a seat on the edge of his bed and said soothingly, "Harry, don't ever think of yourself as someone people would give up on. You are a lot more capable at magic then you now realize.

"Of course, no one is forcing you to continue on with magic. You don't have to do anything you don't want to. If you feel uncomfortable with this whole new situation you found yourself in since waking up, you are free to return to your aunt and uncle's."

Determination swept across Harry's features as he said, "No, I want to stay here; I'll re-learn anything and everything if I have to."

Happy at his decision, Hermione said, "Then I'm going to talk to Madam Pomfrey and see when you will be able to start your lessons."

As she began to walk away, Harry called Hermione back. "Say, Hermione," he said, as Hermione turned around, "I noticed you said I lived with my aunt, uncle, and cousin. Why don't I live with my parents?"

Hermione stilled; her heart rate suddenly quickened as she knew Harry would inevitably come to know the reality in one way or another, even if he was unable to accept it.

Taking a seat at the edge of his bed, Hermione could not bear to look Harry in his eyes for they reminded her of a recent past she lost love within.

Hermione took a deep, shaking breath and opened her mouth to tell Harry the truth.


	16. Hiraeth

Harry Potter and Marauder Revival

Author's Note: Well, I hope you all enjoyed or were at least somewhat surprised by the events of the last chapter. This chapter was actually incredibly long so I had to split it up into two different parts; even doing so, Chapter 16 is still a long chapter so happy reading! Chapter 17 is a work-in-progress and will be posted **FRIDAY NIGHT**! Let me know what you all thought of Chapter 16 with a short review!

Chapter 16: Hiraeth

This was the second time a boy has ran away from Hermione; of course, the reasons as to why varied greatly.

When Hermione was just a little girl, she was with a young boy on a playground at a park near her home. At this time, Hermione had some strange experiences with odd occurrences which unbeknownst to her at the time, was magic.

As the two children laughed together, Hermione had inadvertently created a small explosion in the air between the two kids which threw both of them backward.

Hermione had landed hard on her back, getting the wind knocked out of her. As she gasped for breath, clutching her stomach, she locked eyes with the boy who had fear etched in every feature on his young face.

The boy stood up precariously, took one final look at Hermione, turned heel and bolted away from her, never once looking back.

Since that time, Hermione had felt quite alone. She would learn to close herself off to others as she gave her attention to books. Entering school, Hermione still felt lonesome as she had no friends to speak of when her parents questioned her on the matter.

When Hermione turned eleven years old and she found out she was a witch, gifted with magical powers, Hermione felt elated: finally, she could exit her friendless world and be part of something different, of something special.

As she entered into the magical world, Hermione still felt quite alone. However, everything changed on that one fateful Halloween night, when both Harry Potter and Ron Weasley came bursting into the girl's lavatory to save her from a mountain troll.

As she covered up for both boys by lying to her professors, the trio had formed a strong bond of friendship that still lasted six years later.

Now, however, Hermione again found herself feeling somewhat alone as Harry had dashed out of the hospital ward, unaccompanied, while Hermione never felt so out-of-place before since finding out she was a witch.

The reason for Harry's reaction was what Hermione had just told him when he asked her a question about his relatives and why he lived with them and not his parents.

Not having foreseen this complication, Hermione had best decided the correct course of action to take was to tell Harry the raw truth.

"Harry, you live with your aunt, uncle, and cousin because…well, because your parents are dead," she finished in a whisper.

Harry's bright green eyes widened slightly upon hearing Hermione's confession. "How did they die," he asked, unwilling to believe her statement.

"They were murdered by an evil man," Hermione replied, feeling a crushing blow to her heart seeing her best friends' reaction to this new revelation. "This man murdered many people, Harry, and you parents died trying to protect you."

A moment of silence passed between the two students when Harry had got out of bed, took one final look at Hermione, and ran out of the ward, not once looking back.

Hermione had decided Harry gave her one last look to see if she was indeed telling him the truth about the fate of his long-lost parents: alas, to Hermione's great dismay, she was.

As Hermione sat on the edge of Harry's now empty hospital bed, Dumbledore strode back into the hospital wing to see how things have been progressing.

Upon seeing the empty bed and the sad look on Hermione's face, the headmaster had just one guess as to what could have set Harry off.

"I guess it would be wrong of me to ask how everything is going with Mr. Potter, Miss Granger," Dumbledore started, looking over wearily at her.

"Everything is going as well as can be," Hermione replied with a small smile, looking at the respected wizard. "I can't imagine how hard it must be for Harry to find out everything again, not that he doesn't have the memory to remember it the first time."

"Yes, it definitely will come as quite the shock to him, having to relive and be re-told everything about his past," Dumbledore said, moving to sit across from Hermione. "No one said the journey of life is an easy one…but to be there for each other when life becomes difficult is manifested through friendship. Right now, Mr. Potter needs a friend, Miss Granger. He needs to be reassured that he is not in this alone."

"I have to find him, then," Hermione started, standing up from Harry's now vacant bed.

"Everyone has a choice, Miss Granger, including you. No one is forcing you to do anything; it is vital that you understand this," Dumbledore said to Hermione, looking at her with a mixture of both surprise and understanding.

"I know that, headmaster, but Harry is my best friend; he needs his friends now more than ever before," Hermione stated.

At that, Professor Dumbledore gave her a warm smile and said, "Off you go then," nodding his head off towards the doors of the hospital ward.

Once Hermione had exited, Professor Dumbledore fixated his gaze to look out of the windows of the wing, his mind wondering as to how patient Hermione must be in order for Harry to recognize the true meaning of friendship.

After leaving the Hogwarts headmaster, Hermione realized she had no idea where Harry would have gone. Not only that, but as Harry had no retention of his past life, he could not have known where to go next.

Opening each door she passed, Hermione found empty classroom after empty classroom. Ruling out the possibility Harry had gone to Gryffindor common room, as he didn't know where it was nor the password required to enter, Hermione pressed forward, looking past each door.

As Hermione's spirits dwindled considerably, she felt a sudden, small gush of wind. Looking towards it source, she smiled when she noticed a door partially open. She ascended the stairs and soon found herself on top of the Astronomy Tower.

The tower was framed with large arches that gave one a three-hundred-and-sixty degree view of the surrounding landscape of Hogwarts.

On one side of the tower, one could see a wide river snaking through the high-rising hills while on the other side, the Black Lake sat with its waters rippling over in a rough breeze.

Hermione saw Harry sitting under one of the arches, one of his legs dangling over the side of the tower with the other tucked under his right arm.

Cautiously, Hermione approached Harry. Hesitating for a slight second, she decided it was best if she sat next to him. He neither looked at her nor acknowledged her presence when she did so.

Not knowing where to start, Hermione thought the present moment needed no words, that Harry would eventually start talking when he was ready to. Together, the pair looked out at the dying sun, the great ball of flame slowly sinking behind a far-away hill. The sky was colored a deep blue mixed in with lines of purple, as small puffy clouds floated overhead.

The strong blow of the wind pushed back Hermione's hair while she enjoyed the cool, fall air.

"Why," Harry suddenly started, "Did my parents have to die? I don't understand the implications behind it?"

Hermione was suddenly startled out of the moments of silence that had passed between the two of them that his question caught her momentarily off guard.

Taking a few seconds to regain her composure, Hermione answered, "V-Voldemort was the man that murdered your parents, Harry. He first rose to power a decade before you or I was born, and he plunged the Wizarding community into complete and total chaos. After a decade of dominance, one of his followers, called Death Eaters, overheard a prophecy.

"V-Voldemort was told only half of this prophecy and he singled you and your family out. He visited your family on Halloween night and murdered both your father and your mother. Your mum sacrificed herself so that you could live, Harry. When Voldemort sent the killing curse at you, your mother's love protected you through the binds of an ancient magic so that the killing curse rebounded off of you and hit Voldemort, making him disappear for a decade and a half."

"Why did Voldemort single me out," Harry asked, not looking at Hermione. "What did the prophecy state that made him go after me and my family?"

"I haven't heard the entire prophecy from beginning to end but you once told me that you would have the power Voldemort knows not. I assume he became afraid that you would become more powerful in terms of magic than he which is why he decided he had to kill you."

"You said that he 'disappeared'? Where did he go?"

"No one knows; those claiming they do probably don't even know the truth."

"And I assume he has returned?"

Nodding solemnly, Hermione said, "Yes, Harry, he returned several months ago. And now, our world has been plunged into a second war…,"

"-And I'm in the middle of it," Harry finished for her. He took Hermione's silence as an ultimate.

"I'm sorry, Harry; I know this can't be easy for you to suddenly wake up and be told all of this."

For the first time since her arrival, Harry looked over at Hermione. "How is it that you know of all of this?"

Looking down at her lap, Hermione gave a small chuckle and said, "Because Harry, you're my best friend…whether you remember it or not."

Nodding once, he looked back out at the sinking sun. Another breeze blew back his jet black hair, revealing his scar.

"I don't know if you had a chance to look in a mirror recently but you have a scar on your forehead in the shape of a lightning bolt which is from when Voldemort tried to kill you," Hermione said.

Harry instinctively reached up to a place a finger on his forehead where his scar was. After pausing for a moment, Harry asked, "And does my aunt, uncle, and cousin, you know, study magic?"

Hermione looked over at Harry as she replied, "No, they don't. They're actually muggles, you know, non-magic folk."

Harry, however, realized Hermione's tone had turned hard at the mention of his family he lived with during the summer holidays.

"Why do I get the feeling there is something you're not telling me about my family," Harry asked.

"Because you don't exactly get along with them," Hermione said, choosing her words very carefully. "You see, after your parents died, you were rescued from your home and placed on their doorstep with a letter explaining the events of why you were to live with them.

"Your aunt is your mother's sister and for some reason I don't know, they didn't get along very well, if at all. You are treated unkind there, Harry, because your aunt and uncle label people that's different from them and their set of social standards as 'freaks'. That is why you dread the summers because you have to go back and live with them."

"I don't have any other family I can live with," Harry asked, growing angry at Hermione's answers.

"Well, you do, but, I'm afraid it's impossible to live with him any longer," Hermione said, feeling tears well up in her own eyes.

"Who is it and why is it that I cannot live with him?"

"His name is Sirius Black and he was your godfather; your father's best friend. He…Harry, he died several months ago in the Ministry of Magic."

Harry looked at Hermione as if he couldn't believe what she was telling him. Fury started to bubble up in the pit of Harry's stomach as he felt pure rage at the road his life had took him on; this wasn't a journey, it was a trail of torture.

When he spoke next, he struggled to keep the wrath from seeping into his voice, "Why is it that my family is the one that perishes? Is it so much to ask for any piece of good news while I try to remember who I am?"

"Harry, we have all have got to come to terms with the fact that life isn't fair. We can complain and cry about it, wallowing in our own self-pity and forget to live. Or we can press on with those we have around us that we know will support us at every decision we make. Friendship is the true meaning of what it means to live for being alone would render us all inadequate for progress.

"We all have our own faults, Harry, and our present reality does too. Having nearly an entire generation wiped out from the first wizarding war with now an impending second war threatening the very existence of our daily lives shows the cracks in a clear, crystal world; we all go on with our personal faults but if those faults encompass an entire population of people, problems will arise that are too great for governments to handle.

"I remember when I first told I was a witch. I was so excited that there was a whole other world based entirely on the banes of magic; it was enchanting and a true breath of fresh air. Coming to Hogwarts, I learned how to control my own magic and I made true friends in the process. Yet, I also found out that magic has a dark side; that was when I found out about Voldemort and the first wizarding war. It was then that I realized that there is no world, society, or existence that is perfect; all we can do is strive to be the best we can be."

Harry thought over all of the words Hermione had said. On one end of the spectrum, Harry was depressed beyond any reasonable doubt that neither his parents nor his godfather was still alive; knowing he had to live in a house full of people who considered him a waste of space every summer further dampened his mood.

However, hearing about the catastrophes dark wizards, namely Voldemort, created within his own community lit a fire under him which made him want to take action.

"Hermione, I want to learn how to control my magic. I know I have five years to make up, but I want to re-learn everything."

Hermione smiled over at him and said, "I was hoping you would say that."

"Then, when I've learned everything I need to know, I'm going to meet Voldemort and I'm going to kill him to avenge the deaths of my parents and my godfather."

Uneasiness settled throughout Hermione; Harry was talking in volumes of great passion yet the passion was measured against the wrong reasons.

"Harry, I can't even begin to imagine how you feel about everything that I have told you thus far regarding your parents but revenge is the wrong course of action to take."

"What are you talking about? If someone murdered your parents based on the sole reason of half of some prophecy, are you telling me you wouldn't want revenge?"

"Harry, when you fight fire with fire, you're only going to get burned. You have a power that Voldemort doesn't have; that is what you should fight for, Harry, not for revenge."

"And what is this power that I have that he doesn't," Harry nearly shouted, starting to get angry.

"Harry, think! You have the ability to love! That is a power far greater than means for magical dominance."

"Yes…because of love I have no parents," he spat at her.

"It's because of love that you're still alive," she said, glaring right back at him.

Within their heated stand-off, neither student had noticed the sky had grown dark as the sun lost its lighting power. The moon had silently crept up while their conversation was on-going, its brilliance reflecting off of the running waters far below the top of the astronomy tower.

"I don't know if I can think like that," Harry said eventually, his voice calmer than before.

"What's important is that you at least try to do so," Hermione said, softening the look in her eyes. "I know it's not easy but you have friends that are more than willing to help."

"I take it that those two I saw earlier in the hospital, those with the red hair, are my friends as well?"

"Yes, there names are Ron and Ginny Weasley. They're brother and sister with Ginny being a year younger than us. Also, there's Neville Longbottom and Luna Lovegood that are here for you, Harry, to help you."

"I'm assuming you as well?"

Hermione smiled softly, nodding her head saying, "Yes, me as well."

In the welcome of the quiet night, Harry reached out and took Hermione's hand in his and gave it a gentle squeeze.

Looking directly into her warm brown eyes, Harry said, "Thanks for being such a great friend."

Unbeknownst to Harry, those kinds words of friendship shattered Hermione's glass heart for not two night ago, he was expressing his love for her.

"Well come on then, let's head back to Gryffindor Tower," Hermione said, standing to her feet and waiting for Harry to do the same.

"Where?"

"Oh, that's right, I forgot to tell you. The students of Hogwarts are segmented into four different houses: Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. At the beginning of term, every year, first-year students are sorted into one of the houses; our first year, we were sorted into Gryffindor which is our house."

Harry stood to his feet, nodding his head in understanding at Hermione. She departed from the astronomy tower first with Harry following closely behind. They descended the stairs, walked out the door, and strolled down corridor after corridor until they reached a painting of the Fat Lady.

"What are we doing here, Hermione," Harry asked, his green eyes looking around at the other paintings surrounding the one they were standing in front of.

"This, Harry, is the entrance into Gryffindor Tower. All we have to do is give the correct password and the painting will let us in," Hermione said, directing her attention to the Fat Lady. She said, "Pig snout," in which the painting of the Fat Lady swung forward to admit entrance to Harry and Hermione.

Harry was stunned that another room was situated behind the painting. As they entered the common room, he looked around, wide-eyed at how cozy this all felt.

"This is the Gryffindor common room; many students do their homework here after dinner or just hang out here with their friends," Hermione stated, gesturing around the room. "Now let's get you to your dormitory. You share your dormitory with four other students: Ron, Neville, Seamus, and Dean."

The pair climbed the staircase and Hermione looked at a closed door that Harry presumed was his dormitory.

"All of your stuff is already in there, Harry, so you don't need to worry about anything; I also assume your Hogwarts robes are in there as well; you need to wear them every day we have class."

"Right," Harry said as Hermione turned away to go into her own dormitory. Watching her walk away, Harry suddenly said, "Wait!"

Hermione turned around and looked at Harry; for the first time since talking to her, he realized how tired she looked: her eyes were bloodshot as the skin around her eyes was red.

"Yes, Harry?"

"Thank you for…everything," he answered. "I don't know how I would've gotten through all of this without you."

She smiled at him and said, "Don't thank me yet, Harry. Since tomorrow is Saturday, we are going to train. Since we have five years of magic to catch up on, we are going to train hard. Good night and I will see you in the morning." With that, Hermione turned on her heel and walked away.

"Good night," Harry murmured back, too quietly for Hermione to hear. Inside, Harry was bursting in excitement for tomorrow they would begin his magical training.

Harry awoke early the next morning to the soft snores of his dorm mates. Rubbing the sleep out of his eyes, Harry shoved his glasses on his face and looked outside the window next to his bed. His mind was racing miles per minute with everything that had happened to him over the past two days. Some of the information he couldn't believe initially, like the ability to perform magic, while other information he didn't want to believe, like the sobering reality that his parents were dead.

But his new friend, Hermione, had told him that revenge was not the reason to learn magic; try as he promised himself to think of this act as revenge, Harry couldn't seem to be able to push that thought out of his mind.

Once Harry had finished changing into his Hogwarts robes, his supposed other best friend, Ron Weasley, woke up, murmuring incoherently as he was still half-asleep. Harry departed from the dormitory and descended the spiraling staircase into the Gryffindor common room where he found Hermione waiting for him.

"Good morning, Harry," Hermione said, smiling over at him.

"Morning," he replied back. "Do you always wake up this early?"

"Yes, I do. I should be asking you the same question; I don't ever recall you waking up at this time before," Hermione countered.

Harry shrugged his shoulders as he replied, "I wasn't really tired."

"Well, come on, let's go and get some breakfast," Hermione said after a moment. Harry followed her out of the portrait hole. Walking along a corridor, Hermione turned to Harry and said, "All of the students eat meals in what is known as the Great Hall."

"Right," Harry said.

Hermione opened her mouth to say something else but decided against it and endured the silence that settled between the two of them.

"Can I ask you a question, Hermione," Harry suddenly asked.

"Sure, you can ask me anything."

"You told me last night that you, Ron, and um…I think her name was Ginny, were going to help me to catch up with my magic."

"Yes, I did, what about it?"

"Well, why aren't the professors helping me instead? Today is Saturday, it's not like they have students to teach or anything?"

"Professor Dumbledore didn't tell me the exact reason why, nor did I ask him to, but Professor Dumbledore stresses the fact of friendship and being there for others in desperate times of need. I assume he wants us to guide you as we are your best friends. I heard him once say to Professor McGonagall that magic becomes much stronger through the means of love and friendship instead of through the fear of authority."

"When did he say that," Harry asked, looking over at her with surprise as she was able to remember something like that.

"Back in third year; he said it about you, actually. We were both in the hospital ward and Professor Snape, that's our Potions master, told Professor Dumbledore that you were able to cast a corporeal patronus. You learned how to cast the patronus charm through a close friend of your parents," Hermione explained.

"Who was he?"

"His name was Professor Lupin: he was our Defense Against the Dark Arts professor. He went to school with your mum and dad."

Harry gazed off at nowhere in particular at this sliver of good news: someone who was close to both his parents and him was not dead; at least, he didn't think so.

"You said 'was'; does that mean he's no longer our professor," Harry asked.

"That's right, Harry. You see, Professor Lupin changes into a werewolf every full moon as he was bitten as a young child. Professor Snape let that bit of information slip at the end of our third year and he resigned."

"But he's still around, right?"

Hermione smiled at Harry's words of hopefulness; she knew this was important for him as Professor Lupin was one of the few last remaining remnants that shared a connection between Harry and his parents.

"Yes, he's still alive."

Harry smiled at this and asked, "But what is a patronus charm?"

"It's a defensive charm, one that is used to protect oneself mainly against Dementors by evoking what is known as a patronus. A corporeal patronus is when the charm can take a physical shape. It's incredibly powerful but extremely difficult to cast."

"Am I able to cast this spell," Harry asked.

"Well, presently, I don't think so. But you learned it once and I'm positive you will be able to learn it again," Hermione said.

"What makes you so sure?"

"Because, I had an excellent teacher teach me how to successfully cast the spell."

"And who was that teacher?"

Hermione looked over at Harry and replied, "You."

Harry was stunned at Hermione's revelation to him; he, Harry Potter, actually taught Hermione magic?

As if she read his mind, Hermione continued on by saying, "And it wasn't just me you taught; there was an entire club devoted to learning defensive magic from you. We called ourselves Dumbledore's Army."

Hermione had hoped this tidbit of information might boost Harry's confidence in casting spells that would surely come later on. Her hope, unknown to Hermione at the time, was realized: Harry felt a surge of poise snake up his body so much so that he wanted to skip breakfast and start on his magical training right then and there.

As the pair sat down at the Gryffindor table and piled food on their plates, both Ron and Ginny made their way over and sat down opposite them.

"Morning," yawned Ron, taking an entire dish of bacon and scooping it all onto his plate.

Hermione seemed as if she was about to say something about Ron's action but decided against it.

"Morning Harry," Ginny said, looking at him.

"Good morning," Harry said back shyly.

"So what are our plans for today," Ron asked, his mouth full of bacon.

"Ron, please close your mouth when you speak; the sight is ghastly," Ginny replied, scrunching up her face in disgust at her brother's table manners, or lack thereof.

"Ron, Professor Dumbledore told us yesterday he wants us to teach Harry what he has missed over the past five years," Hermione replied.

"Are you mad? How are we to teach Harry five years worth of magic," Ron asked, looking at Hermione as if she were insane.

"Well, I thought it over last night and thought we should stick to the basics first; cast some spells that are easy enough to manage and then we can work our way up to the more advanced work."

"And we are supposed to do this in the course of one day," Ron exclaimed.

"However long it takes, Ronald," Hermione replied, her eyes holding a deathly glare in them.

"What is Dumbledore playing at? Why can't the professors help us help Harry?"

"Ron, why are you so against the idea of helping your best friend," Hermione asked.

"I'm not against the idea of it, I just don't think it's practical for someone like me to help him!"

"What are you talking about?"

"Hermione, in every class we have ever taken, you have always come out on top. Me, on the other hand, well, I've been nowhere near the top," Ron said, his face turning red.

"Ron, we'll all be there to help Harry today: you, Ginny, and myself," Hermione consoled. "We are to just take this one day at a time."

Harry, who had remained silent through this small verbal confrontation, asked, "When can we get started?"

"I was thinking after breakfast, actually," Hermione replied, turning her attention from Ron to Harry. "Why?"

"I'm just anxious to start learning," Harry replied.

"Mate, are you sure you're okay? Did you take another hit to the head this morning," Ron asked, looking at his friend as if he were speaking in a foreign tongue.

"I feel fine, why," Harry asked, uncomfortable with the way Ron was looking at him.

"You just said you are anxious to learn? When have you ever been anxious to learn," Ron asked.

"I dunno; that's just how I feel," Harry responded.

"Ron, stop making Harry feel bad," Ginny said, looking at her brother coldly. "If that's how he feels then that's how he feels."

"Well, if Ron is done antagonizing Harry, I think it's time to get started," Hermione stated firmly, glaring at Ron.

The four students stood up from the Gryffindor table as Hermione led them to Professor McGonagall's classroom.

"Hermione, what are we doing here," Ron asked, looking over at her.

"Oh, this is where Professor Dumbledore has cleared space for us to practice," Hermione replied.

The desks were swept up against the walls of the room, giving the four students a wide berth from which to practice spell casting.

Hermione, taking charge of the situation, stalked into the center of the room. "Now, Harry, I think we should first start out with the basics. Let's see…how about the wand-tip ignition spell? The incantation for that is ' _LUMOS_.'"

At Hermione's urgency, Harry took out his wand and repeated Hermione's words by saying, " _LUMOS_." At once, the tip of Harry's wand ignited a bright light.

"Okay, very good, Harry; now to put the light out, all you have to say is ' _NOX_.'"

Once again, Harry repeated after Hermione and the light cast from the tip of his wand disappeared instantly.

"Very good, Harry," Hermione exclaimed, please with the progress Harry had made early on. Turning to the two Weasleys she said, "Also, if guys have any other suggestions of useful spells, feel free to speak up."

"How about the fixing charm," Ginny suggested, "Just in case Harry needs to fix his glasses?"

"I think that is an excellent idea, Ginny," Hermione replied, "Why don't you teach Harry that?"

Ginny took the place in front of Harry Hermione had just vacated. Ginny felt her heart beating wildly against her chest; no matter how long it has been since Ginny had first laid eyes on Harry, she still had feelings for him.

Recently, Ginny had come around to finally be herself around Harry, hoping he would take notice of her. Unfortunately for Ginny, Harry had not returned any feeling more than friendship to her but she was still determined it could possibly happen in the future.

"Okay, Harry, let me see you glasses," Ginny said, her voice shaking ever so slightly, as she took Harry's glasses off of his face. She set them down on the ground and stomped her foot on it, crushing it to pieces.

"What did you do that for," Harry said, hearing the cracking of glass.

"Don't worry, Harry, we're going to teach you how to fix it when something like this happens," Ginny said patiently. "The incantation is ' _REPARO_.'"

Harry pointed his wand at the shattered remains of his glasses and said with forcefulness, " _REPARO_." Instantly, the glasses repaired themselves to its natural form. Ginny bent down, retrieved them, and gently put his glasses back on his face.

Harry thought he saw a flicker of what seemed like hope cross Ginny's features but he wasn't sure; looking over her shoulder, he saw Ron eyeing the pair suspiciously while Hermione looked slightly put-out.

"Okay, that was really good, Harry," Hermione interrupted the next second. "Let's try a few others shall we?"

Hermione and Ginny told Harry the incantations and the purpose of each spell they taught him while Ron had decided it was best for him to hang out in the background. Spell after spell the girls had taught Harry, he successfully casted them on his first try.

After the basics, Hermione decided Harry was ready for more advanced training. She taught him some basic hexes and curses he could use against opponents or enemies, using Ron as a test dummy.

"Let's see, Harry, what should we do next," Hermione contemplated. "How about ' _STUPEFY_?'"

"What's that," Harry asked.

"It's a spell that stuns your opponent into unconsciousness," Hermione explained. "Move your wand like this," Hermione continued, indicating the correct movement for Harry to copy, "And say ' _STUPEFY_.' Ron will help you with this one."

"What? What am I to help him with, you just explained everything!"

"I was talking about Harry casting the spell on you, Ron," Hermione explained. "I'll conjure a mattress for you to fall on," Hermione said, waving her wand. In the next instant, a mattress appeared behind Ron for him to fall back on.

"Yeah, that mattress makes me feel loads better," he mumbled quiet enough so that Hermione would not overhear him.

"Whenever you're ready, Harry," Hermione said.

He nodded once, copied the movement Hermione had shown him and said, " _STUPEFY_!" A jet of red light flew out of Harry's wand and hit Ron in the chest. The force of the spell, however, was so powerful that Ron flew well over the entire length of the mattress and landed hard on the floor.

Hermione and Ginny rushed over to him with Harry following closely behind. Hermione pointed her wand at Ron's chest but stopped suddenly and turned to Harry.

"Actually, Harry, I think you should do this."

"Do what?"

"I want you to help Ron regain consciousness. Just point your wand at his chest and say, " _RENNERVATE_."

Harry knelt down next to Ron and did as Hermione had told him. Pointing his wand at his best friend's chest, Harry said calmly, " _RENNERVATE_."

What felt like a small bolt of electricity passed through the length of Harry's arm and into Ron's chest.

Ron suddenly gasped about, opening his eyes, and leaning up on his elbows. "Bloody hell, Harry, you could've killed me."

"Sorry about that, mate," Harry replied, not sure whether he wanted to laugh or not from the look on Ron's face.

"Yes, Harry, that was an incredibly powerful stunner," Ginny chirped in, looking at Harry with awe etched across her face.

"Was it," Harry asked, not sure whether his spell was powerful or not.

"Yes it was," Hermione responded, still looking down at Ron. "Ron, are you okay?"

"Yes, but I think he did enough spell casting for one day," he said warily, standing up on his feet with the aid of Hermione and Ginny.

"I think you're right," Hermione said. "Okay, that is all for today then, Harry."

"Right, well, I'm going to try and walk off this pain," Ron said, holding his lower back in comfort. As he slowly walked to the door, he turned around and said, "Good spell work, Harry." With that, he opened the door and walked out of it. Ginny followed closely behind and gave a quick wave before she left as well.

As Ron and Ginny departed, Harry turned to Hermione, the excitement from his first training session having gone extremely well, even more so than Hermione had initially hoped for. To her, it seemed as if Harry had gained extraordinary insight as to how magic actually worked and it evolved through him so that his power was incredibly strong.

Hermione looked back at Harry but saw some concern etched within his facial features. "What is it Harry," Hermione asked.

"Hermione, I've been thinking; ever since you told me about my parents' death, I…I want to visit them," Harry said, uneasy with how Hermione was going to respond.

Hermione thought this visit meant a lot to Harry so she decided to ask for permission to go and visit the graves of his parents.

Nodding her head, she said, "Okay, let's go ask Professor McGonagall."  
"Why not Professor Dumbledore? Isn't he the headmaster of the school," Harry asked, as he followed Hermione out of the classroom.

"He is but I don't know the password to get into his office; Professor McGonagall does," Hermione said over her shoulder to Harry.

As they walked along the corridor, Hermione was coming up with different approaches for Professor Dumbledore to allow them to visit Godric's Hollow as she was unsure if he was going to allow for them to leave the school grounds.

Harry and Hermione approached the door to the head of Gryffindor house. Hermione knocked softly and waited for an answer.

A few moments later, footsteps were heard on the other side of the door and then Professor McGonagall opened the door, shock springing upon her face as to who were her unexpected guests were.

"Well, this is a very welcome surprise! What can I do for you Miss Granger and Mr. Potter?"

"Professor, we would like to speak to Headmaster Dumbledore but I don't know the password to enter his office."

"May I ask what you need to talk to the headmaster about?"

"Well, it's about Harry; you see, he would like to visit his parents," Hermione said quietly, looking back at Harry for a quick moment before directing her question at their head of house.

She looked over at them for a second before she said, "Follow me." After she shut her office door, Professor McGonagall strode down the corridor with Harry and Hermione following closely behind.

As they reached the stone gargoyle barring the entrance into the office of the headmaster, McGonagall said, "Toffee Éclair."

The gargoyle then sprung aside as a staircase revealed itself, spiraling upward to which the trio stepped on. Seconds later, the office of the headmaster stood in front of them.

Professor McGonagall knocked on the door and Harry and Hermione faintly heard a voice say, "Enter."

McGonagall opened the door and walked into the office followed by the two young Gryffindors to a much surprised Albus Dumbledore.

"Ah, Miss Granger and Mr. Potter, what can I do for the two of you today," he asked, smiling warmly at them.

Hermione looked over to Professor McGonagall who gave a small nod of her head as Hermione said, "Headmaster, Harry wishes to visit his parents in Godric's Hollow. I know this is sudden but I believe he has the right to do so."

Dumbledore looked between Harry and Hermione as if deep in thought. Harry had the distinct impression Dumbledore was x-raying both he and Hermione, his bright blue eyes piercing them.

"Yes, I believe you are right, Miss Granger." Dumbledore now directed his attention at Harry when he said, "Do you believe you are ready for this, Harry?"

Harry, noticing how Dumbledore had called him by his first name, nodded his head in answer.

"Very well, then. Since the two of you do not know where Godric's Hollow is and we are in the middle of a war, I will be traveling with the two of you. But let me be clear, we can't be gone for too long; is that understood?"

"We," Hermione asked, looking over at Harry. "I thought just Harry would be going."

Professor Dumbledore looked at Harry and said, "This entirely rests on Harry's shoulders."

Harry looked over at Hermione and said, "I want you to come with me. Ever since I lost my memories, you have been with me every step of the way and I want you to be there."

Hermione's cheeks flared pink at her best friend's words. She smiled and said, "Of course I'll be there then."

Dumbledore smiled down at the two of them but said again, "Time is of the essence; I repeat, we cannot be gone for too long, alright?"

Both Harry and Hermione nodded their heads, indicating they understood. "I do not believe we will attract unwanted attention but in case we do, I want the both of you to be on your guard tonight. By the way, how are the lessons going, Harry?"

"Very well, actually; much better than I had expected," Harry answered. Dumbledore looked surprised at this but pleased nonetheless, looking to Hermione for confirmation to which she nodded her head again.

"Excellent," he said, beaming proudly at the two of them. "We shall apparate out of my office, then."

"What does it mean to apparate," Harry asked.

"It's a method for quick transportation by thinking of a particular destination in mind and instantly appearing there," Hermione answered off-handedly as he asked another question, "But sir, I thought you couldn't apparate from within or into the castle," Hermione asked, puzzled.

"And you are quite right, Miss Granger, but being the headmaster of the school, some distinct privileges reside solely with me," Dumbledore replied, winking at her. "I want the two of you to grab my arm tightly; this is a most uncomfortable experience. On the count of three then," Dumbledore said as the two students gripped his arms firmly.

As Harry waited for Dumbledore to start counting, he instantly felt like he was being squeezed through a tube not able to fit his body. The air in his ears was sucked dry as his lungs were screaming for air. Just as he thought he couldn't take any more, a wave of fresh air washed over him, as he staggered backwards.

He looked over and saw that Hermione had fallen over, lying on her back. He rushed over and helped her to her feet as he saw Professor Dumbledore come up to them and say, "I must tell you two that many people throw-up after their first apparation experience."

Harry felt as if he was to soon follow the normalcy of the headmaster's words when another rush of wind blew fresh air into Harry's face.

Breathing in and exhaling slowly, Harry gained a clearer head and opened his eyes. He sensed Hermione was still gathering her whereabouts so he put an arm around her waist to keep her steady.

"Follow me," Dumbledore said, as soon as he saw his two students shake off the feeling of the first apparation experience.

The two followed the aged wizard past a small row of quaint shops until they stepped into a wide lane with a steeple situated next to what was a dark, gated area of land.

Harry felt his heart rate speed up as they walked closer and closer to the gated area for he could now see what the quarter contained.

Dumbledore turned around to face the two Gryffindors as he said, "This, Harry, is where your mother and father are rested."


	17. Harry's Misery

Harry Potter and a Marauder Revival

Author's Note: Hello everyone! Starting with this chapter, I shall deviate slightly from the "Harry Potter" books. For example, my story takes place during Harry, Ron, and Hermione's sixth year yet I have excluded the Half-Blood Prince storyline (for now). Chapter 18 is a work-in-progress and will be posted **MONDAY NIGHT!** I hope you all enjoy Chapter 17 of "Harry Potter and a Marauder Revival" and let me know what you all thought with a short review!

Chapter 17: Harry's Misery

Harry and Hermione stepped within the confines of the gate as Dumbledore decided it was best to keep watch for anything unexpected outside.

A breeze ruffled the hairs of the two students as the night temperature continued to descend.

The stained glass windows of the steeple that was situated next to the cemetery reflected a stark contrast to the darkness of the gated area as bright colors of red, orange, yellow, green, and velvet reflected beautifully off of rogue tombstones and the leave-strewn ground.

Harry and Hermione parted ways, each going about to find the graves of his parents. To Harry, the fact of standing in Godric's Hollow felt completely surreal to him; this is the place where his parents were murdered and this was the place where he, Harry, was supposed to be murdered as well.

Harry slowly walked down a row, looking at each tombstone carefully, his heart beating more quickly by the second. Each step he took, his breaths shortened as he hungrily peered about. With a quick look at Hermione, he saw her do the exact same, cautiously looking at each gravestone she passed, her wand held aloft.

Harry took out his wand a murmured, " _LUMOS_ ," instantly igniting the tip of his wand while he shoved his free head into one of his jacket pockets.

Off in the distance, a couple laughed merrily, not a care in the world, strolling about their business on a wistful Saturday night. It would remain unknown to them that just yards away, a young boy would be desperately searching for the graves of his parents, a care that meant more than the world to him.

Harry walked onto another row, keeping his wand held high as Hermione mirrored his actions feet away from him.

Suddenly, the steeple was full of brilliant noise. Harry looked over towards the church and saw a choir practice taking place through the stained glass windows. The male and female voices of the singers melted with one another that were harmonious to the ear.

As the piano of the church chimed in, the pace of the song quickened as another breeze blew the cold air about outside.

"Harry, have you found them yet," Hermione called out, as she traipsed down another row.

"Not yet but I'm sure we'll find them soon enough," he said quietly, his voice carrying over via the wind.

Harry walked along the back row of the cemetery, a gray wall stationed as the back partition. As hope slipped within Harry of ever finding the graves of his parents, he arrived at the last two tombstones.

There, at the end of the row, sat two stones: one belonged to James Potter while the other belonged the Lily Potter.

Harry stood there, letting his wand arm droop down to his side, mesmerized by the names of his two parents. Little did they know there son stood just feet above them, breathing in the cold, night air, still very much alive.

The crunching of leaves started him out of his revere as Hermione quietly approached him without uttering a word. She looked at the names on the stones and sighed quietly.

Retracting down so she was on her knees, Hermione moved her wand in a circular motion and a green vine weaved itself between the two stones, connecting them together as one as a dozen roses bloomed to life, marking a stark contrast of colors between the conjured plant and the lifeless headstones.

Harry kneeled down next to Hermione as he stowed his wand away in his pocket. Looking at each gravestone in turn, he gave a weak smile and said, "Hello mum, dad. It's nice to finally meet you."

Hermione gave her best friend a sorrowful look as he sniffled through his nose.

"It's been a long time since I've been here but I'm glad I came back. Everything that has happened has impacted me so much and will continue to do so for the rest of my life."

Harry suddenly laughed quietly as he continued, "I don't even know if you can hear me or not. If you can't, this would be embarrassing."

Out of comfort, Hermione reached over and grabbed Harry's hand with her own, giving it a gentle squeeze to let him know she was there for him.

"Oh and I almost forgot; this is Hermione Granger. One of my best friends that I have; she's definitely bossy and strong-minded but she's also extremely smart and talented and most importantly, she has helped him so much over these past two days when I couldn't even remember who I was."

Another cold breeze swept around them as the church choir's song became faint, sounding like a distant memory.

"Even though I lost my memory, there's something down inside of me that I know I'm missing out on and I think it's you, mum and dad. There are so many words I wish to say…but I just can't remember why I want to say them," Harry sighed.

Hermione felt like this was a moment she could speak out as she said, "Harry, even though I never met your parents before, I know they loved you very much. You're a product of total love, something that is both beautiful and gentle, an innocent truth in our devastated world. I know, deep down, even if you don't remember it now, you love them too."

Harry looked into Hermione's deep brown eyes as she said this, nodding his head in understanding when she had finished speaking.

"That's what it feels like, Hermione, I just wish the world I could remember what it feels like to love them," he replied quietly.

Fixing his gaze back on the graves of his parents, it was hard knowing Harry would have to depart soon. Standing up, Harry pulled Hermione to her feet as well. Taking one last look at the now rose-covered graves, it took all of his willpower to turn away.

As he did so, he put an arm around Hermione's waist as she tucked her own around Harry's waist, as they strolled down the empty row of graves.

Approaching the steeple, the voices of the choir grew louder and louder as a tear escaped out of the corner of Harry's eye. Letting it fall, they turned a corner as the two held on to each other tightly.

Together, they walked out of the darkened gravesite to meet with their headmaster. Upon seeing them, he nodded gravely, no trace of a twinkle appeared in his bright blue eyes, as he asked, "Are you okay, Harry?"

Not trusting his own voice, Harry merely nodded in reply. Hermione looked up at Harry, her eyes red with unshed tears, not knowing how difficult this was for him.

"Well then, I think it's best to be off," Dumbledore replied quietly. Before grabbing his arm, Harry looked around one last time: bright lights shone out of the windows of nearby shops, couples had their arms tucked into one another; the wind rustled around fallen leaves as the choir continued on with their singing.

Harry clasped tightly on Dumbledore's arm, the other holding Hermione close. As the bells of the steeple rang out, the three people disappeared in a wisp of wind.

As Harry settled into his four poster bed that night, he lay awake, willing himself to try and retain his memories but unfortunately for him, his wish did not come about.

Monday arrived and Harry was woken up by his friend Ron Weasley as he was told, "Harry, we've got to go down and get breakfast and then we have class afterwards!"

Blinking against the sunlight that was pouring into their dormitory, Harry reached for his glasses and placed them on his face. After getting ready for the day ahead, the pair trudged down the steps of the tower, proceeded to walk out of the painting and down into the Great Hall.

There, they met Hermione and Ginny with whom they exchanged quiet 'Good mornings' to before getting started on their breakfast.

"Say Hermione, what do you reckon will happen in today's classes," Ron asked, his mouth full of egg and ham.

"Well, I suppose we can help out if Harry has any difficulty with anything today," she responded.

"Oh, I doubt that; don't you two remember his lessons on Saturday," Ginny asked, excitement gleaming into her eyes, "He surely didn't look like he had difficulty with any of the spells to me."

"It's not that, Ginny," Ron said back, "Because today we have Defense Against the Dark Arts with that great old bat Snape; what on earth are you doing?" Ginny had ferociously shaken her head from back to forth while waving her arms in front of her brother for at that reason, Professor Snape had decided to stroll up the Gryffindor table.

"Ten points from Gryffindor and detention, Weasley, tomorrow night down in the dungeons," their professor said with malice shining in his eyes.

As he strode away from the four students, Ron said, "Uh, that bleeding one-eyed troll!"

Snape stopped dead in his tracks upon hearing Ron's words. Slowly turning around, Ron had a look of panic on his face realizing their Defense professor had heard what he had said.

"Take another twenty points from Gryffindor and make that an entire week's worth of detentions, Mr. Weasley." Snape turned on his heel and walked away, his black robe billowing behind him.

Waiting until he walked out of the Great Hall, Ron said, "Uh, that three-legged hippogriff!"

Hermione and Ginny rolled their eyes at Ron while Harry was smirking down at his plate, finding the whole confrontation quite amusing.

A while later, the four students stood up from the table and departed from the Great Hall to attend the day's lessons; Ginny bid farewell to Harry, Ron, and Hermione as she trudged down to the dungeons for Potions while the trio headed upstairs for Charms.

Walking into their Charms classroom, Harry, Ron, and Hermione took seats next to each other while tiny Professor Flitwick entered the classroom, a bright smile on his face.

"Welcome, sixth years, to another Charms lesson! Today, we will be practicing the bird-conjuring charm! Can anyone tell me what this does along with the incantation?" At his question, Flitwick had turned to Hermione who had her hand raised in the air. "Yes, Miss Granger?"

"The bird-conjuring charm is as it sounds as it conjures a flock of birds; the incantation is " _AVIS_."

"Excellent, ten points to Gryffindor," Flitwick cried out, clasping his hands together. "I want each of you to be able to conjure what Miss Granger has described, a flock of birds, before the end of the lesson. On you go!"

Hermione raised her wand, made a movement with it in the air, and said, " _AVIS_!" Instantly, a collection of yellow birds burst out of Hermione's wand and started flying around, chirping quietly.

"My goodness, Miss Granger, very well done; I don't believe I've ever had a student successfully perform that spell so quickly before; take another five points for Gryffindor and welcome back," Flitwick said, winking, to which Hermione smiled at him. When Harry and Hermione had departed from their present time back to 1976, Professor Dumbledore had told Hermione that it seemed as if time had frozen in place with them gone.

Of course, it didn't seem to them that time had frozen yet for Harry and Hermione, it had been nearly four months of their lives.

"Mr. Potter, if you please," Flitwick then said, turning to Harry.

Nodding his head once, Harry points his wand in the air, made the same slashing movement Hermione had, and cried out, " _AVIS_!" To Hermione and Ron's great surprise, a flock of birds zoomed out of the tip of Harry's wand, flying first over his head and then mixing in with Hermione's own already conjured birds.

"Oh, well done, Mr. Potter, take five points for Gryffindor," their charms teacher said in triumph.

Ron, who was stunned Harry was able to produce his birds on his first try, let slip of his wand which clattered onto the floor a few paces in front of him. When his wand hit the floor, a blast of wind protruded from his stick, bowling over Professor Flitwick.

Their tiny professor was blasted completely off of his back as Ron looked on horrified at what he had done.

As Harry and Hermione helped their teacher to his feet, he straightened his robes out and said, "Mr. Weasley, please refrain from acting like a bumbling baboon in my classroom!" With that, their teacher strode away from them, rubbing his backside.

"Blimey, Harry, how did you do that," Ron asked, unfazed by their teacher's comments.

"I don't know," Harry replied, looking up at the birds he and Hermione had created. "I just willed myself to do it."

"Maybe Ginny is right…I don't think you'll be needing much help from now on," Ron said, gazing at his best friend in wonder. "But you now know what this means don't you: I don't have to copy from Hermione anymore!"

As Hermione shook her head in annoyance, Ron continued on practicing the spell. She looked above her head and saw her birds and Harry's birds flying around each other. Unbeknownst to her, she wasn't the only one that realized the strange behavior of the animals for Harry Potter also took notice.

After Charms class ended, the trio made their way down to the dungeons for their Potions class, passing Ginny along the way who gave them all a quick wave of her hand in greeting.

Entering into the classroom, Harry, Ron, and Hermione all shared a table when their Potions professor, Professor Slughorn entered into the classroom.

"A good morning to you all, my students! Now for some of us, this will be your first potions lesson with me," Slughorn said, turning his gaze over at Harry and Hermione, "But do not fret for potion making is a true form of art in which I am well versed in. Today class, we will be brewing the Calming Draught. This particular potion is used to steady the nerves of one after suffering from shock or trauma. The directions to brew this can be found on page sixty-six of your textbooks."

The sound of benches scraping across the stone floor filled the dungeon as the students scurried over to the supply cabinet to retrieve the correct ingredients in order to prepare their potions.

Once having collected the necessary elements, Harry flipped open his textbook to the correct page number and began following the instructions provided.

After half an hour, Professor Slughorn had started walking around the room, looking into the cauldrons of his students to see how far they had progressed.

Harry was cutting up another set of roots to add to his potion. When he did so, his potion had turned into a shimmering green, which the book listed as the ideal halfway stage.

"Harry, how did you do that," Ron asked, looking over at his potion; Ron's potion was a sickly yellow.

"Chop up your roots three-quarters of an inch thick and add half of it into your potion gently; then stir twenty times clockwise, add the rest of the roots in, and stir twenty times counter-clockwise," Harry replied.

"Oh, bloody hell, I added all of my roots already," Ron groaned in frustration.

"Here, let me see," Harry said, walking over to Ron and looking down at his cauldron. Thinking on his feet, Harry walked over to the supply cabinet and grabbed a handful of dittany.

Once back at the table, Harry chopped up the dittany and added it into Ron's potion. "Try stirring that in twenty times clockwise," Harry said, to which Ron gave him a shocked look.

"Are you sure, Harry," Ron asked.

"No, but it's worth a shot."

"More like worth my grade," Ron mumbled back. But nonetheless, Ron did as Harry had instructed and to his great surprise, his potion turned a dark green, its color close to what the book described as the ideal halfway stage.

"Blimey," Ron said, his eyes wide with surprise. "I guess falling down those stairs gave you extra brainpower," he exclaimed, "You never use to be like this!"

Ron smiled as he peered down at his cauldron while Hermione looked curiously over at Harry.

"That was really impressive, Harry," she said, "How did you know to add dittany?"

"I dunno, really; I walked over to the supply cabinet and it just seemed like the correct ingredient to take," he replied, happy with her compliment to him.

As Professor Slughorn reached their table, he looked down at Hermione's potion and gave a curt nod. At Ron's potion, his face screwed up in mild disgust at the wild smell issuing from his black pot but added, "Near correct," to which Ron beamed proudly.

Reaching Harry, the Potions master looked down and beamed proudly. "Excellent," he said softly so that only Harry could hear before he moved away.

After Professor Slughorn had finished checking all of the student's cauldrons, he called out, "Okay, time is nearly up! I want each of you to fill a vial with your interpretation of the Calming Draught and place it on my desk for grading!"

As the students filled their vials with their potions, the bell clanged loudly, signaling the end of the lesson.

"Ah, Mr. Potter and Miss Granger, if I could see you for a moment if you please," Slughorn called out.

"Uh, I guess I'll see you down at lunch," Ron said, clearly unhappy at the fact he wasn't called on by Slughorn.

"See you," Harry said back as he followed Hermione up to the front of the room to their teacher's desk.

"I must tell you two that I am quite impressed by both of your abilities to perfectly brew the Calming Draught, very impressed indeed. I called the two of you here because I usually host these monthly meetings which I like to call the 'Slug Club.' You see, I have a great host of contacts at the Ministry which I tend to invite come time for my annual Christmas Ball. I would be more than happy for the two of you to join me in my club," their professor explained, beaming proudly at them.

Hermione, annoyed as this was her second invitation to join the Slug Club, was about to decline the offer when Harry said, "That's sounds great, professor."

Hermione whipped her head to look over at Harry.

"I thought you might like to know, Mr. Potter, that your mother was another brilliant mind at potions; she too had joined my club many years back," Slughorn said, focusing on Harry in which he nodded in answer. "Well then, look out for my monthly invitations!"

With that, Harry and Hermione departed from the Potions classroom and headed for the Great Hall for lunch.

"Harry, why did you accept his invitation to join the Slug Club," Hermione asked, giving him an incredulous look.

"What's so bad about it," he asked back.

"Well, nothing really, besides the fact he likes to rub it in everyone's face that he's so well connected within the Ministry of Magic! He plays favorites, Harry, which really isn't fair," Hermione replied.

"Maybe, but it doesn't seem too bad, does it," he asked, now unsure he had made the correct choice in accepting their teacher's offer.

"Well, it depends how you look at it, really. I guess it's not all that bad," Hermione said, thinking about how she and Harry shared their first kiss at Slughorn's Christmas jamboree.

"Maybe we can get Ron to join with us," Harry thought out loud.

"Maybe," Hermione replied absentmindedly as another, more pressing thought entered her mind. "Uh, Harry, I need to go visit Professor McGonagall real quick about something; I'll meet you and Ron in Defense Against the Dark Arts, okay?"

"Sure," he replied. "Do you want me to go with you?"  
"No, it's just a silly question about something I came across while reading my Transfiguration book," Hermione said. "You can find the Great Hall from here, can't you?"

"Yeah, it's just down this corridor and down the steps at the end," he said.

"Okay, great, I'll see you later." With that, Hermione stalked away in the opposite direction, up two flights of stairs, and down a long corridor before she found herself standing in front of the stone gargoyle.

Unsure if Professor Dumbledore had changed the password into his office, Hermione uncertainly called out, "Um, toffee éclairs?" To her great relief, the gargoyle leaped aside and Hermione dashed onto the revolving staircase that led to the headmaster's office.

She knocked twice to which a voice called out, "Enter." She pushed opened the door and saw Professor Dumbledore seated behind his desk. A wide smile appeared on his face when he saw who his unexpected guest was.

"Ah, Miss Granger, what a delight to see you today," he said, swishing his wand and conjuring a cushioned chair for Hermione to sit in.

"Thank you, professor," she replied, her cheeks flaring pink.

"What can I do for you today?"

"Headmaster, I had a thought from which I was hoping you could help me with. You see, I understand that Harry and I traveled back to 1976 and then came back here, to our own time. What I don't understand is if our traveling back in time was some sort of alternate reality or did it actually take place in the past?"

Dumbledore seemed to take great thought before he answered Hermione. After a few quiet moments, Dumbledore said, "Miss Granger, it is my belief that what had happened back in 1976 did indeed take place in the past; however, it also my belief that because of recent events, it has changed into an alternate reality."

"Sir, I don't understand," Hermione said.

"When you and Mr. Potter went back in time, if it indeed was our past, then I would have remembered meeting the two of you in that year; but alas, I do not. I want you to think back Miss Granger, about anything that I might have said to either of you when returning back to your own time."

Suddenly, the answer dawned upon Hermione light a bolt of lightning. "I remember, now. You said that something must be given up to return us to our own time but you were working on trying to send us back without any consequences."

Hermione stood to her feet and started pacing in front of Dumbledore's desk, her hands clasped together behind her back, her mind deep in thought.

"But you never got the chance to tell us how to travel back in time! So the consequence of us coming back here to 1996 was Harry's memories!"

Hermione looked over to the headmaster in confirmation who, himself, seemed to be in full contemplation.

"If that is what I truly said to the two of you, then this does make sense," Dumbledore said slowly, "Although I cannot imagine why Harry's memories would disappear so suddenly."

"Maybe it will be something that we find the answer to in time," Hermione suggested quietly, lost in her own thoughts.

"Perhaps, Miss Granger; we can also choose to believe that Harry's memories will eventually come back to him."

"But sir, if our time in 1976 did take place in an alternate reality, why am I able to retain those memories from a past which did not take place?"

"Miss Granger, the past did indeed take place to you; however, it did not take place to those you interacted with in 1976."

Hermione nodded her head in understanding as she said, "Well, thank you for your time, headmaster."

As she exited Professor Dumbledore's office, her mind was racing at the speed of light. How could she forget that Dumbledore had warned them both before that he believed something must be given up for them to return to their own time? He said he had been working on another way for them to return to 1996 but Hermione guessed he hadn't discovered a fail-safe way to do so.

Missing her lunch hour, Hermione walked alone towards the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom.

Entering the corridor of the classroom, she saw a multitude of students queuing outside the door of the room; she shuddered to think what would happen if she was late under Professor Snape's reign as professor.

As she leaned against a wall, Harry and Ron approached her.

Harry handed her a bunched up napkin and said, "Here, I got this for you. I thought you might be hungry."

Hermione opened the napkin and saw two muffins inside; she looked up at Harry and said, "Thank you; that was very thoughtful of you, Harry."

As Harry smiled, Ron said, "I would've brought you some muffins if I knew you were going to miss lunch."

Hermione smiled playfully and shook her head while the door of their classroom banged open loudly.

"Inside," the cold voice of Snape said.

Once the students had settled themselves into their respective tables, Snape strode to the front of the classroom.

"Five points from Gryffindor, Miss Granger, for eating in class," Snape spat out coldly. Hermione, who had froze in mid-chew, gulped loudly, and hastily stuffed her uneaten muffin away.

"It's not her fault she missed lunch," Harry called out, in which both Ron and Hermione looked at him in horror.

"Mr. Potter, I do not believe I asked for your view on the matter. Unless you would like to receive a week's worth of detentions, you will remain quiet unless called upon," Snape replied silkily.

Harry opened his mouth to retort but Hermione grabbed on his arm and whispered, "No, it's not worth it." At Hermione's resistance, Harry remained quiet.

"Now, today we will be practicing the art of non-verbal magic. Who can tell me the uses of using non-verbal magic?"

Hermione's hand shot up in the air. Snape looked around the classroom at anywhere but her, waiting for another student to answer his question.

"Very well, Miss Granger?"

Unfazed by the antics of her professor, Hermione answered, "The use of a non-verbal spell allows the caster an advantage against their opponent in which the opponent has no knowledge about what spell is to be cast."

Ignoring her answer, Snape continued, "Now, I want each of you to pair up and I want one person to silently cast a disarming spell while the other will silently attempt to block it. On you go then."

Harry and Ron paired up with another while Hermione paired up with Neville. "That slimy git, any other professor would have awarded Hermione ten points for her answer," Ron seethed.

Harry silently agreed as Professor Snape seemed like a very foul person in Harry's opinion.

"Okay, you go first," Harry said, nodding over at Ron.

Ron screwed up his face in concentration while Harry thought back to Saturday's lessons with Hermione, Ron, and Ginny. They taught him that in order to repel an attack, the incantation was ' _PROTEGO_.'

Harry silently repeated the incantation over and over in his head. Over Ron's shoulder, Harry saw Hermione successfully disarm Neville directly in front of Snape. Instead of awarding any type of praise, the former Potions master silently moved on to another practicing group.

After another few moments, Ron's shoulders slouched forward, being unsuccessful in his attempts to disarm Harry.

"You go for it, mate," Ron said.

Harry nodded, pointed his wand at his best friend and thought, ' _EXPELLIARMUS_.' Not a second later, Ron's wand flew out of his own hand and into the air for Harry to catch.

"Bloody hell, Harry, how'd you do that," Ron asked, as Harry handed his wand back over.

"You have just got to will and believe in yourself that you can disarm me," Harry explained, seeing Neville out of the corner of his eye try with all of his might to disarm Hermione. "Try and picture you disarming me in your mind and see how that works; just put your total thought into it."

As Harry returned to his original place, he saw Ron close his eyes and point his wand at Harry. Ron screwed up his face in concentration; in the next instant, Harry's wand flew out of his hand in which Ron caught a moment later.

Ron looked down at both wands in utter amazement, not believing he had just accomplished the feat of his first successful non-verbal spell.

Ron slowly looked back up at Harry who smiled over at him and said, "Well done, man."

For the rest of the lesson, Harry and Ron continued to take turns disarming one another non-verbally, both students growing more confident the more they practiced. Unknown to them, Professor Snape kept a close watch on them, his face turning to distaste each time he saw the pair successfully disarm one another. It was as if Professor Snape had swallowed an entire bottle of firewhiskey.

That night at dinner, Ron kept regaling his successful attempts at disarming Harry over and over to Neville, Dean, Seamus, and Ginny.

While Ron described for the fourth time his experience when disarming his best friend, Hermione turned to him and said, "You make a great teacher, Harry."

He turned to her and asked, "Who, me?"

When she nodded her head in answer he replied, "No, I just told Ron how I performed the spell, seeing and hoping it would work the same for him."

"Which is exactly what a teacher does, Harry," Hermione replied, smiling up at him.

"Well, I guess in a way, but I don't ever want to become a teacher," he said.

"But you already were one last year. Remember when I told you about Dumbledore's Army? You taught a whole group of us different spells and jinxes; every one of us improved under your guidance," Hermione said.

Harry sat there, his gaze drifting off at nothing in particular, trying to remember him teaching his peers.

"I know you don't remember it but it did happen," Hermione finished.

Harry turned away from Hermione to see Ginny staring at him with a small on her face. He smiled back awkwardly, unsure of her intentions as Ron had turned a blinded eye to his sister and best friend.

"It sounds like you had quite a day, Harry, from what Ron has been saying," Ginny said.

"What'd you mean," Harry asked.

"Ron has been talking non-stop about you successfully casting spells on your first try and helping him in potions," she answered.

Harry shrugged his shoulders, not knowing how to respond. "Um, yeah, I guess so," he said lamely.

Ginny giggled quietly and said, "Harry, you're too modest. Actually, Harry, I don't know if anyone's told you but you were made Quidditch captain over the summer."

"What's Quidditch?"

"It's a sport we play on broomsticks in which two teams try to score goals off one another," Ginny explained. "You play the position of Seeker in which it is your job to fly around the pitch in search for the Golden Snitch: a tiny ball that is wicked fast and hard to see. Whichever team's Seeker catches the snitch earns one-hundred and fifty points for their respective team and ends the game."

"That sounds amazing," Harry remarked.

"Yes, it gives you quite the thrill. Anyway, I don't know what is to happen now with well, you know, everything that has happened with you," Ginny said. "But I guess, if you want, you can talk to Professor McGonagall about it since she's head of Gryffindor house."

"Yeah, I'll do that tomorrow," Harry commented; Ginny gave him a wide smile in which he returned.

Later that night, as Harry slid under his covers of his four poster bed, his mind kept racing to the looks Ginny kept giving him at dinner. Of course, she was quite beautiful, Harry thought, but it was wrong to date your best friend's sister…wasn't it?

As Harry wrestled with these thoughts, he drifted off into a deep sleep. Harry opened his eyes to find himself standing under a falling snow.

He turned his gaze towards his right and saw a middle-class home situated at the end of a wide snow-ridden lane, multi-colored Christmas lights hung from the roof of the residence.

Curious, Harry walked over to the house and peered through a wide window. Before him, he saw a lady with bushy hair curled up on a couch, reading a book next to a brightly lit Christmas tree, a warm fire burning in the grate.

The lady in question turned out to be Hermione Granger. As the snow continued to fall, a man entered the room, leaned down and gave a quick kiss to Hermione. The man handed a mug to Hermione of what looked like to Harry, hot chocolate. Whipped cream was filled up to the brim of the mug as seconds later, two young children now entered the room, followed by a dog coated in a beautiful golden fur, its wagging back and forth in excitement.

Hermione set down her book as a little boy ran over to her, laughing in delight. She scooped him up in her arms, smiling with happiness.

The man cradled the little girl that ran over to him as he looked lovingly over at his wife and the mother of his children while the dog gave a soft bark.

Harry watched the scene unfold before him with a deep ache in his heart. For some reason or another, this warm Christmas Even night made him feel quite alone, for this represented something Harry never got the chance to participate in yet it also represented his deepest desires: to have a fond memory with his family.

Harry obviously could not remember much of his past life, much less a fond memory he had of his aunt, uncle, and cousin with whom Hermione said he didn't get along with.

As the family of four laughed away, carefree and happy, Harry Potter trudged away from the window and down the lane, letting the snow fall on him and his darkest misery.


	18. Vast

Harry Potter and a Marauder Revival

Author's Note: Well, here is Chapter 18 for "Harry Potter and a Marauder Revival!" I know this is a night early but I found time to write so I decided to post it. Chapter 19 is a work-in-progress and will be posted **THURSDAY NIGHT!** Hopefully, you have all enjoyed my previous chapters and I hope you will enjoy reading this chapter as well. Don't forget to leave a review to let me know what you thought (positive and negative reviews are welcomed!)

Chapter 18: Vast

Harry awoke the next morning, feeling deeply uncomfortable as well as unsettled from the dream he had despaired in. Seeing his best friend with a family of her own, gathered around a warm fire by her husband, two children, and a family pet on Christmas Eve confused Harry beyond certain degrees.

Was this what the future had laid out for Hermione? Would she too, in several years have a family of her own just like the one he saw in his dream? Within his confusion, Harry also felt troubled by what he saw.

After Hermione telling him about a certain prophecy and that he, Harry Potter, would almost certainly have to meet Voldemort sometime in the future, was Hermione's family just a pure fantasy? Hermione came off as someone who would not abandon her friends under any circumstance; she was fiercely loyal and never gave up.

Yet, as Harry lie awake in his four-poster bed with his curtains closed, he could not shake off the feeling that his destiny would prevent Hermione from achieving what his dream had envisioned for her.

One day, Harry knew he would have to make his final stand against Voldemort, his Death Eaters, and tyranny; it only made matters worse if his best friend was there with him giving up a life of happiness.

After climbing out of bed and getting ready for the day ahead, he and Ron met Ginny in the common room and together, they traveled down to the Great Hall for a spot of breakfast.

As they walked along a long corridor, Ginny suddenly called out, "Oh, good morning Luna!"

A smaller girl with long, curly blonde hair suddenly turned around, her eyes fixated on Ginny. She smiled warmly as she replied, "Good morning, Ginny. Good morning Harry and Ron."

To Harry, it sounded as if this girl, Luna, was in a complete daze, seeming to have been in a trance no one bothered to snap her out of.

"Er, hello," Harry replied awkwardly, embarrassed by the fact this girl new his name yet he wouldn't know hers if it wasn't for Ginny.

"It's okay, Harry, I know you fell down the stairs and have lost your memory; those wrackspurts can make anyone's head go fuzzy," she said, her eyes wide as she locked her eyes on Harry's.

"Um, what's a wrackspurt," Harry asked, confused by this new terminology.

"Oh, it's creature that floats into your ear's making one's brain became unfocused; they're quite a force to be reckoned with when made angry," she replied seriously.

As Harry tried to digest this startling new information, he heard his name called out from behind him. Turning around, he saw Hermione walking towards them.

The same feeling of dread he had felt this morning from his dream, well nearly a nightmare actually, came flooding back into his senses. Would Harry have to cut ties with his best friend in order for her to be happy? He didn't fancy that idea in the slightest and resigned to himself to think more of the matter later.

"Oh, hello Luna, I didn't see you there," Hermione said, after she exchanged 'Good morning's' to both Ron and Ginny.

"It's alright, many people tend not to see me either," she replied casually as if talking about the weather.

"I didn't mean it like that," Hermione started, her cheeks reddening in her sudden hiccup.

"Don't worry, you didn't miss anything important Hermione, except Harry receiving a lesson in things that don't actually exist," Ron said.

Both Hermione and Ginny tried to stamp their feet onto Ron's yet both missed and accidentally crushed both of Harry's feet.

Eyes watering in pain, he didn't hear if Luna had replied to Ron's comment as Ginny suddenly said, "I think we could all do with some breakfast."

As one, the students travelled down the rest of the long corridor, down a flight of steps, and into the Great Hall.

Luna drifted off over to sit at the Ravenclaw table while Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny went over and took seats next to each other at the Gryffindor table.

As they started to pile breakfast on their plates, Hermione leaned over the table, looked at Ron, and whispered harshly, "Would you mind by adding a filter between your mouth and your brain?"

"What're you talking about," Ron asked, his mouth full of crushed sausage.

Hermione shook her head and rolled her eyes while Ginny responded, "Everyone thinks she's a little, well out there, but I would have thought, Ron, that after what happened at the night of the ministry you would've had a little more respect for Luna."

"I didn't disrespect her in any way, I just never heard of anyone speaking of a wrackspurt before," Ron said, defending himself.

"What happened at the ministry," Harry asked, not remembering what happened before the summer had started.

At his question, everyone had grown quiet as they didn't really know how to explain to Harry everything that had happened that one fateful night: the night his godfather was murdered.

"Um, well, you, Ron, Ginny, Luna, Neville, and I went to the Ministry of Magic in London to save your godfather whom you thought was being tortured by Voldemort. Well, after we went there, it was all a trap and Death Eaters surrounded us and we had to fight to get away from them.

"Soon after, members of the Order of the Phoenix, a resistance movement first started by Professor Dumbledore during the first war, came and a big fight ensued between everyone down in the Department of Mysteries. And, um, there were casualties and your godfather was one of them," Hermione finished quietly.

"W-we fought against Death Eaters," Harry asked, looking in turn at Hermione, Ron, and Ginny, his voice laced with surprise.

"Yeah, mate; we all did," Ron said.

Harry merely nodded his head in understanding not too surprised hearing about the death of his godfather as Hermione had already told him about it before; however, the hurt was still there.

"Well, anyway, I think I'm going to talk to Professor McGonagall after class today about Quidditch," Harry said, steering the conversation away from dark waters.

At this comment, both Ron and Ginny perked up, their faces smiling widely in happiness. Harry turned to Hermione and found she had a worrying expression on her face.

"Harry, are you sure you're ready to fly again," she asked.

Before Harry could answer, Ron intervened and said, "How about after dinner, Harry and I go flying just so he can get readjusted to the feeling of flying, not that he would need the extra practice."

"Why do you say that," Harry asked.

"Because, Harry, you're a natural at flying! McGonagall might even book the pitch for us tonight just so you can practice," Ron exclaimed enthusiastically.

After breakfast, the four students departed from the Great Hall with Ginny heading off to Charms while Harry, Ron, and Hermione heading up to Transfiguration.

Once they settled in their seats, Professor McGonagall strode into the room, her hair tied at the back of her head in a compact bun as her green robes swished around her ankles.

"Good morning class and welcome to another Transfiguration lesson. Now, as I expressed before, I shall repeat the statement I made in your first class in saying that sixth-year transfiguration will be very challenging. I do not expect you all to master the spells on your first try nor do I expect you to understand everything I say."

McGonagall paused for a moment before continuing on. "Today, we will be practicing human transfiguration. I will want you all to practice transfiguring the hairs on your head as practice with a given mirror," their professor said, waving her wand; a mirror then appeared in front of every student. "Off you go then."

For the next half hour, all of the students practiced changing the colors and lengths of their hairs; after a few tries, Harry understood that what McGonagall had said was no joke as it was very difficult to succeed in.

After a dozen or so tries, Hermione was able to transfigure her hair from curly brown into a long, straight, jet black style before changing it back to its original state, which earned her twenty points for Gryffindor from a pleased McGonagall.

Ron's face was brick red as he tried with all of his might to change just a lock of his own hair. After several unsuccessful attempts, he muttered something incoherent.

Harry was no having no better luck than Ron though that might have been caused by Ron's pervasive swearing every time he was unable to successfully change his hair.

Closing his eyes and mentally picturing himself with red hair, Harry muttered the incantation, focusing with all of his might. When he opened his eyes, Ron was turned towards him while he said, "Harry, you're my best mate and all but Weasley red is just not your color."

A smile crept over Ron's face as he kept staring at Harry. Harry himself picked up his own mirror and saw how ridiculous he looked with red hair. Laughing at his friend's joke, he changed back his hair to its original jet-black state, though not before being awarded twenty house points to Gryffindor.

The school bell then clanged loudly, calling for the end of lessons. "Okay, Harry, just go and ask McGonagall about Quidditch tonight; I'm sure she'll agree to it, I mean, when has she ever said 'no' to you," coached Ron.

Harry nodded his head and marched up to the front of the classroom while Ron and Hermione waited outside the door.

"What can I do for you, Potter," McGonagall asked without looked up from her desk.

"Professor, I was wondering if you would allow me to join the Quidditch team?"

At his question, the Transfiguration professor looked up at Harry with surprise in her eyes.

"Why Mr. Potter, I do not believe I ever forbade you to play," she retorted.

"I understand that professor but with everything that has happened, I didn't know if you would allow me to continue to play."

She seemed to scrutinize him while she asked, "Do you believe yourself capable of handling being the team captain?"

"Well, the truth is, I-I wanted to fly tonight in order to regain the feeling of flight," Harry responded.

McGonagall seemed to assess him before she took out a spare bit of parchment from her desk and scribbled hastily across its surface.

"I'm giving you full access to the Quidditch pitch tonight, Potter, so that you may be able to practice your flying," McGonagall said, handing over the parchment to Harry.

"Thank you very much, professor," Harry said, taking the note from his professor.

"You're welcome; I must say that I've quite enjoyed having the House Cup in my office, something that I always remind Professor Snape of in passing," she replied, giving Harry a rare smile.

Harry nodded once and walked out of Professor McGonagall's classroom to a waiting Ron and Hermione. Harry held up the note as Ron said enthusiastically, "I knew it! She just can't say 'no' to you, Harry!"

The rest of the day seemed to pass by as slowly as possible. All Harry was anxious to do was to go down to the pitch so that he could practice his flying.

At dinner that night, Ron shoveled food into his mouth at a much forceful rate than usual while Harry felt as if he had butterflies flying around in his stomach. Hermione watched both of her friends with a curious expression on her face as she said, "You know, I will never understand what gets people so worked up about Quidditch."

"Hermione, it's not just about Quidditch; it's about the freedom you feel when you fly," Ron exclaimed. "It's a feeling that really cannot be described. Trust me, Harry, once you start flying, your airborne instincts will come right back to you."

After the trio finished dinner, they stood up from the Gryffindor table and passed by Ginny.

"Ginny, would you like to join us down at the Quidditch pitch," Harry asked.

"I would but I've got to finish an essay for McGonagall," she replied, looking solely at Harry.

He nodded in understanding and said, "Okay, well maybe another time then."

The two boys raced upstairs to grab their broomsticks and met back up with Hermione in the entrance hall to walk out of the oak front doors and down to the Quidditch pitch.

The night was cool, with gusts of wind blowing about every so often. The night was clear as the grass chomped beneath the shoes of the trio.

Hermione went off to sit in the stands as Harry and Ron made their way to the middle of the pitch. It felt weird standing in the middle of the stadium that was completely empty. Harry looked around as the night grew darker around the grounds of Hogwarts.

"Okay Harry, whenever you're done staring at nothing, let's fly," Ron suggested.

Ron mounted his broomstick and shot off into the air. Harry mimicked him, placing both of his legs on either side of his Firebolt; in the next instant, Harry shot off like a rocket into the cool night.

The sky had transformed into a dazzling orange and pink, the sun sinking behind the far-away horizon as the moon slowly crept higher and higher into the sky.

The speed his broomstick was flying blew back the hair on Harry's head, as his sweater rippled behind him. Never had he felt so free before up in the air; it felt incredible. Harry steered his broom left and right as it eased gently under his direction. Harry flew once around the stadium, Hermione's eyes following his every movement.

Ron called out, "Follow me, Harry!"

In the next moment, Ron dived down towards the ground as Harry followed his plummet. Down towards the ground they rocketed at lightning speed, the hard earth approaching more quickly than Harry could even comprehend.

Ron pulled out of the dive before he crashed as he zoomed around the goal posts at one end of the pitch with Harry matching his movements. Before long, however, Harry found himself willing his Firebolt to go faster and it did.

Now, Ron was following Harry's movements around the pitch as they flew around the numerous towers, over the stands, and skirting over the pitch. Harry felt himself smiling at how happy he felt up here; it felt as if he left his problems back on the ground as there was no weight that had set itself on his shoulders.

After a while, Ron called out, "Harry!"

He turned around and saw Ron pointing down to the ground. The two friends raced downwards, pulling to a stop in mid-air, feet off of the earth.

"I think it's time we call it a night; it's getting too dark to see now," Ron said, pointing around them at the rapidly approaching darkness.

As disappointment settled within Harry, he spotted Hermione sitting by herself in the stands, her hands clasped together in her lap, waiting for their flying to end.

"Actually, you go on ahead," Harry said distractedly.

Ron followed his gaze and replied, "Harry, you're never going to get her fly; she doesn't fancy it in the slightest."

"Well, maybe that'll change after tonight," he replied.

"What are you going to do? Force her on your broom," Ron retorted; if it wasn't so dark out, one would see Ron's face growing red with suppressed rage.

"I don't know," Harry said, "I'll just see you back in the common room." Without another word, Ron landed, and walked out of the stadium, his form shaking in nearly uncontrolled anger.

Figuring he would sort that out later, Harry thought it was important for Hermione to felt what he felt when he was on his broom. Hermione, who had always been there for him since he woke up in the hospital ward with no memory, was something who Harry had grown to care for.

Flying over to her, she was standing on her feet as she asked an approaching Harry, "Why is Ron upset?"

"Is he," Harry asked, trying to make out Ron's figure against the dark grounds of Hogwarts.

"Yes; he walked away and his body language seemed like he was really angry," Hermione said, looking back at the now disappearing Ron.

"Well, that might've been from me," Harry stated in which Hermione turned around to look at him.

"What did you say to him that made him so mad?"

"I told him I wanted to take you flying," he stated simply.

"You told him what?"

"That I want to take you flying."

"Harry, I'm not one to fly," Hermione replied.

"Why not?"

"Because…well, because I'm afraid to fly," she said quickly, looking down at her shuffling feet in embarrassment.

"Well then I'll help you get over it," Harry said, holding out his hand for Hermione to take.

"Harry, I'm not really sure about this," she said, eyeing his Firebolt with increasing anxiety.

"Hermione, do you think I would put you in harm's way," he asked.

"Well…not intentionally."

For a fraction of a second, Hermione had a serious look in her eyes that made Harry falter.

"Hermione, what is it?"

"It's nothing…I just don't like to fly," she repeated.

Although Harry felt as if Hermione wasn't completely telling him the truth, he dropped the topic, making a mental note to himself to question her about it later.

"Hermione, flying up there," Harry started, nodding his head upwards, "Is like being free. We all have chains that tether us to the ground but I'm offering you a chance to be released from it; all you have to do is accept my proposal."

Once again, Harry reached out his hand waiting for Hermione to take. As he looked at her face, from the glow of the moon, he could see her breathing quicken as disbelief stretched across her face.

Very slowly and rather shakily, she placed her hand in Harry's. As he smiled to himself, he guided the broom as close as he could to his trembling best friend.

"What I need you to do next is to swing one leg over behind me," Harry said softly to Hermione who had her eyes squeezed shut. "And it might be easier if you open your eyes to do this," he said in a teasing manner.

She opened her eyes and laughed once, all humor vacant from her voice. Slowly but surely, Hermione swung one leg over the Firebolt behind Harry; once she did so, she wrapped her arms fiercely around Harry's middle and clung on tightly, briefly cutting off his flow of oxygen.

"Hermione, I can't…breathe," Harry struggled to say.

"Oh, I'm sorry," she replied, relinquishing her vice-like grip around Harry's middle.

"Don't worry," he said back, noticing she still had a tight group on him. "Hang on."

"Harry, please don't fly too fast," Hermione squeaked as Harry steered the broom out over the black pitch; looking down, it seemed as if the Quidditch pitch had no end.

"I'll try not to," he replied, his mouth curved in a smile. He steered the broom forward, flying up over one of the lone towers that were situated evenly around the pitch.

Another breeze washed over Harry's face. "Hermione, are your eyes open," he called back, feeling Hermione's head in the middle of his back.

"No," she replied.

He laughed good-naturedly and said, "Hermione, open your eyes! You wouldn't want to miss something like this!"

"Harry! I told you I really don't like to fly! It feels like I'm- AAAHHH!" Hermione never got to finish her statement for at that moment, Harry's Firebolt shot off like a canon as the broomstick suddenly soared straight into the air.

As Hermione's scream temporarily deafened Harry's right ear, he shouted about in pure pleasure.

Harry steered the broom out over the edges of the Forbidden Forest, seeing Hagrid's Hut full of light, with smoke lightly issuing out of his chimney.

Maneuvering the Firebolt out over the Black Lake, Harry felt a sense of something that was so beautiful: the broom skirted over the surface of the lake, creating small ripples that rolled off in different directions.

The stars that hung in the sky reflected wondrously off of the smooth waters, creating a stunning mirror reflection in which one would be unable to distinguish the sky from the water.

As the stars twinkled merrily about behind the rising and falling hills that surrounded the castle, the immense glow of the white orb that hung in the sky became more pronounced as Harry and Hermione flew into the moon.

Everything was still as the Firebolt flew back over towards the castle as another rush of wind blew over the airborne Gryffindors.

"Hermione, please tell me you are seeing everything I am," Harry called out, slightly turning his head around so that she could hear him better over the sound of the breeze in their ears.

"I can see it, Harry," she called back.

"Excellent," he replied, flying his broomstick over the jutting structures of the Hogwarts citadel.

Harry then wove his broom so that it circled up the height of the Astronomy Tower, as Harry spotted his final destination.

Suddenly, the broomstick stopped. "Hermione, I believe this is your floor?"

Hermione turned her head sideways and to her amazement, she saw Harry had the Firebolt just outside of her dormitory window.

He turned around to face her with a big smile on his face. "Am I right?"

She shook her head and rolled her eyes playfully at him to which he laughed out loud into the dark night.

"Yes, Harry, you are right," she said, sarcasm flitting through her voice.

Hermione tried to open the window but found it locked. "One moment," she said to Harry as she reached inside her sweater.

She took out her wand, pointed it at the window and said, " _ALOHOMORA_." The window clicked open as Hermione carefully pushed it forward.

Harry flew the broom closer over to the window ledge so Hermione could have easier access. She climbed in through the window and turned back to look at Harry.

"Thank you, Harry, for that, although you know you didn't need to take me flying," she said, wonder in her voice.

"I know I didn't need to…it's something that I wanted to do. Hermione, you helped me a lot since I forgot everything about myself. This was helping that I chose to do for you in return: helping you get over your fear of flying."

"Well, I wouldn't say my fear for flying has been completely eliminated but I would say it has been greatly diminished. "

"Well then, I guess I have done my job for the night," Harry responded back, his green eyes alight with humor.

"I guess I…should go off to bed then," Hermione stated, tearing her eyes away from Harry. "Good night, Harry, and thank you again for what you did tonight."

Closing her window shut, Harry couldn't wipe off the huge smile that was plastered on his face.

Flying to his own dormitory window, he took out his wand, pointed it at the glass, and said, " _ALOHOMORA_." After hearing a lock click open, Harry pushed the window forward and flew his broomstick inside.

Dismounting his Firebolt, Harry took one last look at the bright moon that was now shining off of the Black Lake and closed his window against the surrounding night.

It was then Harry noticed his dormitory was completely empty except for a sullen Ron, who was lying in his bed, his arms folded across his chest, and his eyes fixated above.

"Hey Ron," Harry called, walking over to him.

"What do you want," Ron replied coldly.

"What's up with you?"

"Nothing is up with me because in case you haven't noticed, I wasn't the one flying about with Hermione laughing away behind me."

"Is that what you are so worked up about," Harry asked, looking down at one of his best friends. "That I took Hermione for a short broomstick ride?"

Harry took Ron's silence as a resounding 'yes.' "Ron, you've got to talk to me; why are you so upset about this?"

Ron merely shrugged his shoulders and Harry found his temper rising at a rapid rate. "Ron, there's nothing going on between me and Hermione."

"So then why would you take her flying, Harry? You know it's something she doesn't like to do!"

"Ron, I knew once but I forgot! In case you haven't noticed, I lost all of my memories," Harry yelled back, seething with anger.

At this, Ron opened his mouth to retort but decided to hold his tongue as Harry continued. "From the beginning, ever since I woke up in that hospital bed not remembering anything about my past, my family, and even my own name, Hermione has been there for me, telling me the whole thing about my past, my family…everything!

"This is one time in which I thought I could help her overcome her fear of flying! Last time I checked, best friends help one another in a time of need, Ron! Hermione, according to you, has always been afraid to fly so I decided to try and help her! Was it so wrong of me to do that?"

Ron turned to face Harry, his face resembling a perfectly ripe tomato. When he spoke, his voice was much softer as he said, "Listen, Harry, I'm sorry I got worked up over this because I know you don't remember but…to me, Hermione is just, she's different, mate. Her and I have been at each other's throats ever since first year; whenever we argue, I feel like that is the only time she sees me; all of the other times, she just sees you."

"So, you fancy her," Harry asked.

"I don't know, actually; in a way…yes, and in a way…no."

"I don't understand," Harry replied.

"Neither do I."

Harry, feeling the rage slowly seep out of him at Ron's semi-revelation, had Harry feeling much better; why he felt better was something Harry couldn't quite pinpoint.

"Listen, I'm sorry I didn't tell you about me wanting to help Hermione; it was a spur of the moment decision," Harry said, taking a seat on his own bed.

"I understand, mate, I got worked up over nothing, really," Ron replied. "Sometimes, I say things before I think about 'em."

"Yeah, with Luna, right," Harry joked.

Ron rolled his eyes at that, saying, "You should just hear what she says; half of the time, she doesn't make any sense! She's kind of loony, don't you think?"

Harry shrugged his shoulders in response before he said, "Well, yeah she is but I think we're all a bit loony in our own ways."

Ron gave him an incredulous look as he said, "Maybe you more than me."

Harry laughed as he got changed and climbed between his sheets of his four-poster bed. "Good night, Ron," Harry said.

"Night, Harry," Ron replied. Harry felt satisfied that he had avoided a major row with his best friend yet he couldn't help the feeling of how good it felt to have Hermione hold on to him while flying on his broomstick on a late night escapade.

As the days started to mix together, the fall air became noticeably more frigid. As a couple of weeks passed by, Harry had fully embraced his captaincy as he put together, what he thought, was an excellent Gryffindor Quidditch team, a team that would be playing this upcoming weekend in the school's first match of the year: Gryffindor vs. Ravenclaw.

On the eve before the match, Harry and Ron were discussing last-minute tactics while Hermione was curled in an armchair, re-reading her Transfiguration textbook.

"I'm telling you, mate, even if Ravenclaw gets some goals in, they seriously have no chance against us with you ask Seeker," Ron said, looking over at Harry.

"I believe you; I mean, we've practiced a lot and we've come up with some really good plays," Harry replied, looking into the fire.

"Yeah, I'm not going to lose too much sleep over it, not with you out there on the field," Ron said, standing to his feet. "Well, I'm going to head up to bed. Good night Harry, Hermione." With a wave of his hand, Ron departed up the stairs and into his dormitory.

As Harry continued to stare into the fire, Hermione suddenly said, "You know, Harry, it's completely fine to feel a little nervous."

He looked back at her and said, "I'm not nervous."

"Please, Harry, I've been your best friend for six years. I know when you are nervous," she replied.

He gave her a weak smile as she shut her textbook closed and sat down across from Harry in front of the burning fire.

"I guess it doesn't help whenever Ron says how well you've played in the past if you don't remember anything about it," Hermione said.

"It's something like that."

Hermione smiled back at him. "As I've said before, Harry, it's completely normal to feel nervous. But you can believe me when I say that you've got nothing to worry about."

As Hermione stood up to depart for her dormitory, Harry suddenly called out, "Hermione, can I ask you something?"

"Sure, Harry, you can ask me anything," she replied, as she sat back down in front of the fire.

"Well, it's about when you and I went flying together, actually," Harry started. "I asked you, before you climbed on, if you thought I would put you in harm's way. Then, I remember you answered 'not intentionally'. What did you mean?"

Hermione looked away for a quick moment. After a long silence, she said, "It was nothing, Harry, I was just extremely nervous about flying."

"Hermione, I know there's something more; I can see it in your eyes. Please tell me what you meant by that," Harry supplicated.

"Before I do, I want you to promise me you won't get angry," Hermione said.

"Well that doesn't sound good but I promise," Harry replied.

Hermione slowly nodded her head as she started to unbutton her blouse. After undoing the second button, Hermione tugged her shirt to the left to reveal a faded scar.

"What is that," Harry asked, looking at her mutilated piece of skin.

"This, Harry, is a dark curse; when you led the group of us into the Ministry of Magic at the end of last term, I was cursed by a Death Eater and this is the scar I have to prove it."

Harry was horrified by this confession: a raid, led by him, on the ministry sees Hermione falling at the hands of a dark curse.

"Will it ever go away," he asked.

"Eventually; it gets fainter and fainter every day. But if the Death Eater had actually cast the verbal incantation, there's a good chance that I might not be sitting with you right now."

"Hermione, I don't know what to say except that I'm sorry," Harry said.

"Harry, you don't have to apologize. Ron, Ginny, Neville, Luna, and I all followed you on our own accord. We all knew it would be dangerous to go into the Ministry of Magic -,"

"But you didn't know that we would be ambushed by Death Eaters either," Harry cut in.

"And it's because of me that you got hurt."

"Harry, it's not because of you! According to my memory, you also didn't know we were to be attacked by Death Eaters! This is why I didn't want to tell you!"

"Why, because you knew I would get angry over the fact that my best friend was nearly killed?!"

"No, Harry, I didn't want to tell you because you only see the worst in every situation. Yes, I got hurt and yes, it could've been much worse, but the truth of the matter was that it wasn't worse; I awoke a day later, I took some potions Madam Pomfrey had brewed for me, and now I'm fine. All I have is a little scar from that night," Hermione said.

"You don't always have to blame yourself, Harry. No one can live a full life always taking on their guilt piled on top of other's guilt as well."

"I just can't stand the thought of losing you, Hermione. As I've told you, you've always been there for me even more so ever since I lost my memories. I don't know how to ever thank you."

"Harry, you're the bravest man I know. You have always had to live a young life full of lies from your aunt and uncle, only to be found out you're one of the most, if not the most famous wizard of all time. Now, the darkness has returned and he's after you, Harry. You live your life though without having a heavy weight dragging you down. You know how to have fun and just be yourself," Hermione said.

"Well, it wouldn't be much of a life if I moped around all of the time," Harry replied dryly.

"No, it wouldn't, Harry. Don't you see that you don't let others dictate who you are? You're your own man, Harry and that means a lot not only to me, but to everyone that cares for you."

Harry looked at Hermione while he asked, "I take it a lot of people then care for me?"

She smiled as she answered, "More than you know."

The two students smiled at each other as they sat in front of the Gryffindor fire that was still roaring with life.

Hermione then stood to her feet as she said, "Well, I think it's time for both of us to go to bed. You've got a big game tomorrow."

"Please, don't remind me," Harry said as he too stood to his feet. "I can't even imagine how I'm going to get any sleep tonight."

"Try clearing your head, Harry; try not to think about anything when you shut your eyes."

"Well I guess that's something to try," Harry said half-heartedly, not knowing how to clear your head.

As they climbed up the staircase, Harry could still not help but feel tremendously guilty about what had happened that night at the ministry with Hermione. No matter how many times she told him, it was always trouble him.

Standing in front of their dormitory doors, Hermione turned to Harry and said, "Good night, Harry."

"Good night, Hermione," he replied, turning to head into his dormitory.

Before he could turn the doorknob, Hermione suddenly said, "And Harry?" He turned to face her as she said, "When you're flying on your broom tomorrow, remember that you are free from the chains that keep you grounded."

With that, Hermione entered into her dormitory, closing the door quietly behind her. Harry sat there, looking at the space his best friend had been standing moments before, a wide smile set on his face. Tomorrow, he would be free…tomorrow, it was Gryffindor versus Ravenclaw.


	19. A Calm before the Storm

Harry Potter and a Marauder Revival

Author's Note: Hello everyone! I would like to present Chapter 19 of "Harry Potter and a Marauder Revival" to you all; Chapter 20 is a work-in-progress and will be posted **LATE FRIDAY NIGHT**! I really do appreciate all of the reviews the story has received (both positive and negative) as I could definitely use the constructive criticism! While this is a shorter chapter, Chapter 20 will be quite long. Don't forget to let me know what you all thought of Chapter 19 (as always, both positive and negative reviews are welcome)!

Chapter 19: A Calm before the Storm

Harry awoke the following morning, feeling queasy with an unsettled stomach. Parting the curtains of his four-poster bed, he looked out upon a dreary and cloudy sky, a slight fog hanging around the grounds of the castle.

Harry had tried with all of his might to heed Hermione's advice and 'clear his head' yet it appeared as if the high emotions running through his body ever since Hermione had revealed her scar to him from the fight at the Ministry of Magic, kept Harry tossing and turning all night.

He could only wonder how Ron had slept as Harry could not remember hearing his usual snores that filled their dormitory at night.

Crawling off of his mattress, Harry got changed and tried to mentally prepare himself as he walked down the staircase into the Gryffindor common room.

He found Hermione curled up on the couch with her Transfiguration textbook, reading in front of the hearth, its dying embers representing a vivid memory to Harry of his conversation with his best friend the night before.

"Good morning, Harry," Hermione said, giving him a smile. "You didn't sleep at all last night, did you?"

"I tried clearing my head like you suggested, but that didn't really work," Harry replied, taking a seat next to her. "I can only wonder how well Ron fared with him being keeper. Does he normally get nervous before playing Quidditch?"

Hermione gave a small laugh as she said, "Ron gets…extremely edgy; it's almost as if he doesn't believe in his actual goal-keeping ability. It also doesn't help that many people taunt him in which Ron loses all pretense before the game actually starts," Hermione answered.

"Who taunts Ron?"

"Mainly Draco Malfoy, a loathsome cockroach who's in Slytherin. Malfoy is extremely wealthy and comes from a pureblood family as he makes fun of Ron's family's lack of money," Hermione whispered.

"That's horrible," Harry offered, looking into Hermione's eyes. "Why would someone do that?"

"It's the way he was raised, really. Of course, it also comes from this pureblood theory where anyone who's not a pureblood or doesn't have a lot of money really should be shunned from society; it's all a load of rubbish," Hermione said, shrugging her shoulders.

At that moment, Ron came down the stairs…well, it was more like Ron tumbled down the stairs, as he skipped a stair and fell down the rest of the way.

Moaning in pain, Harry and Hermione rushed over to him as Hermione asked, "Ron, are you okay?"

He moaned in response, rubbing his shoulder. As Harry took a look at his friend, he saw that Ron had fared little better than Harry did last night from his lack of sleep: his red hair was sticking out at odd places, his eyes were still half-closed, and he put on his t-shirt backwards.

Seeing this, Hermione suggested, "Well, I think it's time for some breakfast; well, that's after Ron fixes his shirt."

Some five minutes later, the trio made their way out of the Gryffindor common room and down a corridor, silence settling between the three friends.

Harry still felt an uneasiness present in the pit of his stomach. He looked out of each window they passed, seeing the still cloudy sky and light fog that seemed to refuse to leave the Hogwarts grounds.

Making their way into the Great Hall, the Gryffindor table erupted into a thunderous applause, seeing both their Quidditch captain and their keeper.

Harry chanced a look over at Ron who seemed to be turning a sickly green; Harry imagined he fared any better.

The three took seats next to one another by Ginny, who was already halfway finished with her breakfast cereal.

"You two look awful," she remarked, seeing the color palettes of both Harry and Ron. "Didn't you two get any sleep last night?"

Ron merely grunted while Harry shook his head from side to side in answer. Ginny shrugged her shoulders and continued on with finishing her breakfast.

"I'm sure the both of you will be fine," Hermione said, looking at both Harry and Ron in turn. "There's nothing to worry about."

"But that's just it, isn't it," Ron said, turning to face Hermione. "Harry doesn't remember anything about our previous matches, so how can you say we'll all be fine when our own captain has no recollection of such things?"

Hermione looked slightly taken aback before she recovered and answered, "That doesn't mean you won't play well; all that means is that Harry has the chance to rediscover how much fun he had playing Quidditch. I mean, it really isn't about winning, right; it's about having fun," Hermione finished.

While Harry thought Hermione had made somewhat of a valid point, Ron and Ginny were looking at her with their mouths hanging open.

"Hermione, this is Quidditch we're talking about! This is an actual game where there are winners and losers."

"I know that, Ron," Hermione snapped back, "But it's just a game! Who cares if you win or lose?"

"I care," Ron said. "And Harry does too; don't you mate?"

Harry, who had been avoiding their confrontation, suddenly found himself getting dragged into the middle of it.

"What? Oh, uh, I guess winning can't be everything, can it?"

Ron looked at him as if he was a Death Eater in disguise until Ron shook his head and said, "Well, we can't really blame you for saying that since you, well you know, took a wild hit to the head."

"What on earth are you on about, Ron," Harry asked.

"I mean, before the whole falling down the stairs incident, you were wild about Quidditch and especially winning. I'm sure after today's game, you'll feel the same way," Ron said, thumping Harry on the back. "Well, that's if we win," Ron stated gloomily.

Ginny leaned in closer to Harry and advised, "Don't let the nerves get the best of you. It's good to have them but you have to take control of them instead of the other way around."

Harry nodded at this piece of advice and thought about it as he finished his breakfast. Harry and Ron stood to their feet as the hour of the game loomed ever closer; they were followed out of the Great Hall by the rest of the Gryffindor Quidditch team to a loud roar of applause from their house table.

They left as Hermione stiffly said, "Good luck, then."

The stepped out in the chilly air, a light wind rippling their clothes about them, with the grass crunching beneath their shoes.

The team entered into the locker room and started changing into their gold and scarlet robes. The mood of the changing rooms was tense and laced with apprehension. All the while, Harry felt his nerves slowly taking control of his entire body. Harry tried to take control of his nerves as Ginny had told him to do, yet, when he heard the mass movement of students outside the locker room, his control had completely abandoned him as his nerves pushed through the rest of his body.

Harry tried to even out his breathing but he could still feel his blood pump rapidly through his veins as the beats of his heart became more pronounced.

"Let's go mate," Ron said behind him, startling Harry out of his stupor.

He turned around to find the entire team looking at him expectantly. As captain, Harry felt he should make some sort of a speech to his teammates that would soon follow him out to battle on the Quidditch pitch.

"Well, I guess you all know the rules and procedures of the game so I don't have to explain it to you," Harry started. He saw Ron smack himself across the face while the rest of the team looked at each other with confusion.

Harry decided on a different tactic as he said, "Uh, well, we've practiced for some time then, and I think we'll be able to win."

With a nod of his head, the team departed for the pitch as Ron walked over to him and said, "Mate, I think we should work on your pre-game speeches afterwards."

Harry just nodded lightly in response as the pair walked closer and closer to a door that would soon open for them to walk out onto the pitch. A light mist seeped through the cracks between the door and its frame, painting an ominous setting for the game that was moments away from starting.

Suddenly, the door opened and Harry found himself following his teammates out onto the pitch. Practicing was completely different when the stadium was empty; however, when full, Harry swallowed as he saw hundreds of pairs of eyes on him.

He tried to look for Hermione, a friendly face that would keep his nerves at bay, but he couldn't see her. Of course, it seemed as if the entire student body had turned out for the game so spotting Hermione was not an easy task.

The towers that were situated in even intervals around the stadium were decked in either Gryffindor or Ravenclaw colors.

Harry looked ahead and saw the Ravenclaw team already waiting for them; their blue and bronze robes swirled around them in the wind that was sweeping across the stadium.

Harry saw a very pretty girl with straight, long black hair looking over at him with a curious expression in her eyes; he had guessed she was probably only a year older than he.

Madam Hooch steeped between the two teams and shouted over the roar emitting from the stands, "I want a nice and clean game from all of you! Now Captain, shake hands."

Harry watched as another boy from the other team step forward and stuck out his hand. Harry stepped forward and shook his hand, the two players nodding at each other in understanding.

As they stepped back, Madam Hooch called out, "Mount your brooms and get ready now!" The players all mounted their brooms as she kicked open the crate; the quaffle, bludgers, and Golden Snitch all flew away to freedom.

Upon the blow of her whistle, all fourteen players shot off into the sky. Out of the corner of his eye, Harry saw Ron fly away towards the goal posts he would need to protect throughout the entire game.

As the game began, Harry searched frantically for the tiny golden ball. However, he then heard a familiar voice float around the Quidditch stadium; in fact, the voice sounded like it was in a sleep-like trance. Harry found his eyes wavering up to the box of professors and saw Luna Lovegood had been chosen to provide commentary for the game.

"And Ginny Weasley has control of the quaffle," Harry heard in his ears as his eyes darted around the pitch. "She really is quite a nice person," Luna said, completely ignoring the goal Ginny had just scored.

However, the Gryffindors saw the goal as a wild cheer was heard from their side of the stadium.

Harry flew by a tower decorated in Ravenclaw colors, trying to spot any sign of the Golden Snitch. He ducked out of the way at a bludger that was blasted his way and avoided flying into fellow teammate, Katie Bell.

A loud roar of applause was heard from the Ravenclaw side as Harry assumed their team had scored against Ron.

"10 points to Ravenclaw," barked the loud voice of Professor McGonagall suddenly.

"Oh did Ravenclaw score," Luna asked, her voice laced with mild interest.

Harry found himself smiling at Luna's comments even though his team had given up a score. He had the distinct feeling Luna didn't much care for the scores of the game as she began to babble away about wrackspurts.

Harry streaked by his fellow Gryffindors when he spotted Hermione keeping a watchful eye on him.

He smiled in relief when he saw her. He didn't know why he felt relaxed after seeing her but something inside of him felt comforted knowing she was there in the stands.

Feeling a sudden burst of energy, Harry willed his Firebolt to fly faster; a second later, the broomstick zoomed forward, as Harry continued to keep an eye out for the tiny fluttering ball he had to catch in order to end the game.

He noticed moments later that the black-haired Ravenclaw player he saw before that was giving him a curious expression, was following close behind him.

Annoyed, Harry dived towards the ground, trying to shake this girl off of his tail. The wind whipped up into his face, as his messy black hair swept behind him. Dodging another bludger, Harry pulled his broomstick up sharply as another loud sound of approval was heard from the Gryffindors.

Having not paid any attention to the score, Harry had no idea if his team was winning or losing but he had seemed to have gotten rid of the other Ravenclaw player for now. The girl, however, seemed somewhat familiar to Harry, as if he was viewing someone he knew through a foggy vision.

As his scarlet robes billowed behind him, he spotted it: mere inches away from the highest Gryffindor goal post, the tiny fluttering ball was hanging about.

Like a rocket, Harry took off as fast as his Firebolt would allow, streaking towards a now horror-stricken Ron.

As Harry soared closer and closer, Ron's eyes grew wider and wider; Harry stretched out his arm as he was now mere inches away from catching the tiny ball.

However, just at that instant, a Ravenclaw chaser pelted the quaffle towards the highest goal post. Ron, not having seen the snitch, flew upwards to block the goal when he crashed straight into Harry.

The force of the impact knocked Harry off of his broom. Barely hanging on, Harry noticed how far he was from the ground. If he were to fall, it would be a mighty fall at that.

As Ron moved forward to help, Harry shouted, "No, Ron, stay and block the posts! I'll be fine!"

Harry began to swing his legs about, gathering momentum. When he felt like had had enough energy, he swung one leg back over his broomstick and looked around only to find the snitch had disappeared.

"I'm sorry, mate," Ron called out. "I didn't see you!"

"Don't worry about it, Ron! Do you know the score," Harry yelled back over the sound of the crowd below, all the while keeping his eyes peeled for his prize.

"I think we're up by twenty points," Ron called back, his eyes fixated on the quaffle that was now being passed between two Ravenclaw chasers.

Harry nodded silently as he flew off as Gryffindor chaser Demelza Robins managed to take away the quaffle from her opponents.

As the game became more intense below, Harry's search for the Golden Snitch became direr.

Flying around to Luna's change of topic to nargles, Harry felt his heart sink: across the stadium, the black-haired girl that was following him before was streaking towards what he presumed was the snitch.

Huffing in response, his broomstick bolted off as it flew dangerously into the middle of the pitch. He swerved to avoid colliding with fellow players while ducking his head under two rogue bludgers.

The two seekers dashed closer and closer together, both on a path in which if one player didn't venture off course, they would surely crash into one another.

They looked at each other as if daring the other to break away. Harry maintained a firm grip on his Firebolt, willing it silently to go even faster.

As the two crept closer and closer to their prized possession, the entire stadium went deathly quiet, waiting with bated breath of who would come out the victor; even Luna had stopped her one-sided discussion of whether nargles could be found in garland instead of just mistletoe.

Harry stretched out his hand while the Ravenclaw seeker did the same. Inching closer and closer together, Harry suddenly saw his rival seeker streak away, letting Harry close his fist around the golden ball.

A whistle shrilled loudly as the entire Gryffindor house whooped in their team's victory. Groans were heard from the Ravenclaws and Slytherins while the Gryffindor team all rushed Harry, hugging him, patting him on the back, and offering their congratulations.

He smiled in appreciation, feeling beyond elated after having survived and won his first Quidditch match since losing his memory. The rush of excitement Harry felt at that moment was momentous; his pulse was beating away rapidly as his house cheered their entire team from down below.

Harry looked over towards the Gryffindors and saw Hermione clapping her hands, looking straight at Harry. He smiled at her while she did the same. Something inside of Harry peaked as if he was extremely aware of his appearance in front of Hermione; it was a very odd feeling that Harry didn't understand.

"What are you staring at, Harry," came the voice of Ginny.

Breaking eye contact with Hermione, Harry replied, "Oh, uh, nothing; I'm just happy we won."

Ginny nodded as she watched Harry and Ron fly down towards the ground together. She fixed her gaze over to where Harry was staring at but found nothing out of the ordinary. Shrugging her shoulders, she followed them.

A few minutes later, the Gryffindor team entered back into the changing rooms; the mood however, was light and full of happiness with a resounded victory.

After Harry had finished changing, Ron came up and said, "Harry that was excellent! I thought for sure you were going to crash into that Chang girl!"

"Who," Harry asked, looking at Ron.

"Cho Chang, you know, the Ravenclaw seeker," Ron replied.

"Oh, er, right," Harry responded, the name sounding vaguely familiar.

"Anyway, I think we all played extremely well; I only let two goals in!" Harry smiled over at Ron, who not even an hour ago, looked sickly green in nerves and mounting anticipation.

"Well, there's bound to be a party in the common room," Ron mentioned, pulling a light sweater over his head. "Should be fun!"

Harry nodded in agreement as the two exited the locker room and stepped out into the cool air.

"Ron, does Luna also not care too much for Quidditch? She barely talked about the game at all."

At Harry's question, Ron broke out into a wide grin as he responded, "Did you hear her during the match? She was barking! I mean, it was entirely worth letting her commentate; I bet McGonagall is having second thoughts as to who she should let commentate at the next game."

As the two students made their up to the Gryffindor common room, they were approached by Hermione.

"That was a great game, Harry and Ron," she said, walking in step with them. "I told you that you had nothing to be nervous over."

"I do have to admit Hermione that scores do matter in Quidditch," Harry said, looking over at her. "I mean, I didn't think much of it before but after playing the game, it felt incredible to win!"

"Of course it felt good to win, Harry, but I think it's best to have fun first and worry about winning second," Hermione replied.

"Hermione, are you really going to go on about that right now? I mean, we did win after all," Ron said.

Harry saw Hermione roll her eyes at his comment but remained silent nonetheless. Once they entered into the Gryffindor common room, they were met with a burst of noise.

The entire house was in celebration mode, with Gryffindor banners hanging from the walls, gold and scarlet confetti raining lightly down from the ceiling, and delectable cakes piled on top of recently conjured tables.

Much to Harry's chagrin, his face was plastered upon all of cakes the Gryffindors had managed to nick from the kitchens.

As the celebration continued well into the night, little did the occupants inside the castle know a brutal murder was seconds away from being carried out.


	20. The Incriminatory

Harry Potter and a Marauder Revival

Author's Note: Hello everyone! I hope you all enjoy Chapter 20 of "Harry Potter and a Marauder Revival!" Chapter 21 is a work-in-progress and will be posted **LATE MONDAY NIGHT!** With this chapter, I will say my story does deviate slightly from the "Half-Blood Prince" book; I took some liberties and for those of you that know the book backward and forward, you will know what I'm talking about.

Also, some reviewers have pointed out issues with my story; all I will say is that my story does have a conclusion, meaning everything will come together soon. As always, thank you for the reviews and let me know what you all thought about Chapter 20 with a short review!

Warning: This chapter contains scenes and depictions of strong violence.

Chapter 20: The Incriminatory

Rain lashed against the cobblestone street; it was nighttime as many people converged under large black umbrellas to shield themselves from the cold water droplets. Puddles started to form along back alleys in which small streams of water merged together and began to flood poor drainage areas.

A streak of white lightning temporarily lit up the night sky, followed by a loud roll of thunder which sounded like an amplified bowling ball smashing into its pins.

Ever since leaving the pub, he had felt strange; he could not place this new feeling of paranoia but his current state of trauma persisted so much so that it rocked against the confines of his skull. The collar of his brown jacket was turned up against the falling water with one hand resting on his wand, while the other was stuffed in his jeans pocket.

He had a mission to do…a mission to carry out and he must not fail. Walking down a side street, the man encountered a homeless couple, pushing a cart full of garbage to find a place of shelter.

The rain seemed to be falling harder and harder by the minute. Passing a light post, another flashing of lightning cracked against the black sky which was once again followed by a cosmic boom of thunder.

The man walked as if he was strolling in a park in mid November, enjoying the chilly fall air with his mind at peace and tranquility. However, on this storm-stricken night in early November, thoughts of calmness and serenity were long gone; now turbulence and unrest rested behind the man's dark eyes.

Turning down a much more shady lane, the man noticed that some of the light posts had gone out, casting the avenue into an even darker night full of eeriness and mystique.

Opening the door of where the man lived, he silently made his way into the hall, shutting the door behind him as quietly as he could. After taking off his rain-soaked jacket and letting it fall to the floor, the man decided that by letting his jacket fall to the floor wouldn't really factor much after what he was about to do. After all, he had an assignment to complete.

The man crept up the stairs as another lightning strike flashed through a nearby window; the thunder that followed was so great that the walls of the man's townhome shook with a vengeance.

Once he reached the top of the landing, three doors led off into different rooms. Two of the rooms were empty, one was not. Careful not to make too much noise, the man entered the only occupied room.

Far away, Harry was sleeping in his four-poster bed, dreaming happily of another match he was having out on the Quidditch pitch. He felt elated as the wind whipped through his jet-black hair while his Firebolt zigzagged around the stadium.

Harry was smiling triumphantly as he caught the Golden Snitch in his hands again and again and again. The darkness of the night itself pressed in against the windows of Hogwarts castle however, it was not to be penetrated for young minds drifted off happily into the world of dreams and fabrication.

Yet, as the man crept into the bedroom, there was no happiness that could be felt; instead, coldness and dreariness had harvested itself into the atmosphere of the house. As the rain pounded against the windows loudly, this could be easier than the man had originally thought.

Somewhere in the back of his mind, the man knew what he was about to do was wrong on levels of humanity; however, it was as if he was unable to stop himself.

As he watched the two people sleep peacefully, their heads resting against their pillows, the man stealthily took out his wand.

Pointing it at the woman, he said, " _AVADA KEDAVRA_." A jet of green light shot out of his wand at the woman and she breathed no more.

Hearing a grunt from the older gentleman now sleeping next to the now dead corpse, he directed his wand at the man and whispered, " _AVADA KEDAVRA_." A second jet of green light was fired until there was a single breath left existing in the room: his own.

The man snapped his own wand in half; his mind was now focused upon the last part of his plan. Walking over to the rain-soaked window, the man looked out at the street somberly, hoping to see at least one more person full of life for he was about to be put to rest.

Reaching into his pocket, the man pulled out a sharp knife. His last order he was given: kill yourself without prejudice. The man pressed the blade against his throat, and with a final breath, he slashed his own gullet, blood splattering across the window pane.

The head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement was settling down for a night's sleep. She recounted on the conversation she had earlier today with one of her aurors: Nymphadora Tonks.

"How could have the ministry been so blind, trying for over a year to deny the fact that You-Know-Who had returned," Tonks asked. "Both Professor Dumbledore and Harry Potter had been labeled as cold-blooded liars, with the Daily Prophet slandering them both."

Amelia Bones looked at Tonks as she replied, "Human beings have an uncanny tendency to ignore everything that is wrong with the world, and more importantly, in our own communities. We rather strive for progression when it is really our present that hinders our ability to move forward.

"Dark times covered our community the last time You-Know-Who held power, Auror Tonks. It is not a time many people happily remember."

"I understand that, Madam Bones, but to outright call Professor Dumbledore and Harry liars…I don't understand the mindset of doing something like that," Tonks protested.

"It was Cornelius' way of making sure he still held power over wizarding Britain. The man was so consumed with it that I never thought I would see the day he would voluntarily step down; of course, many people had called for his resignation before that, so I used the world 'voluntarily' loosely," Bones replied.

Tonks remained silent for a moment, her arms folded across her chest. After another moment, she whispered, "It's really starting up again, isn't it, this war?"

"I'm afraid to say that war has been knocking on our doors for quite a while; it is only now that we choose to act because we feel threatened."

"It's not fair; none of this is, especially to Harry," Tonks replied, looking down at her feet.

"I understand that you have grown to care for the boy," Amelia suggested, rather than asked. Tonks silently nodded her head.

"He's been through so much, Madam Bones, so early on in his life. For a whole year, he was called a liar when telling everyone You-Know-Who had returned, and now, when the Ministry of Magic finally recognizes that fact, what is he left with? I find it incredibly troubling that the wizard who murdered his parents and tried to murder him has now returned, and he's returned with fury."

Bones nodded her head in understanding as she said, "It is true what Headmaster Dumbledore said: dark and difficult times lie ahead. But we would have already lost this war if we refuse to fight."

Amelia Bones laid her head against her soft pillow, wondering how the new Minister of Magic, Rufus Scrimgeour, would handle the current state of things.

It was then that Madam Bones had heard movement from just outside her door. Reaching under her pillow, she pulled out her wand, bracing herself for the inevitable.

Suddenly, to Bones' horror, You-Know-Who, Lord Voldemort, appeared inside her room. Donned in a thin black cloak, his skeletal, bony fingers grasped his wand, as his thin, red eyes stared evilly out from under his dark hood.

Without sparing a moment to exchange words, Voldemort had shot out a streak of green light at Bones. She dived out of the way, the killing curse blasting a hole through the wall.

Recovering quickly, Bones fired two different spells at Voldemort who easily deflected them with a flick of his wand.

He then fired a jet of orange light at Amelia who produced a strong shield charm which deflected it. Growing in anger, Voldemort disappeared; in the next second, he reappeared directly behind Bones.

Shooting off another jet of green light at her, he was furious when she managed to jump out of the way again.

Standing to her feet, she began shooting curse after curse at the Dark Lord; he repelled her curses and sent jets of light of his own at her. The duel became more ferocious as the seconds continued to pass, sparks starting to emit out of the tips of the both of their wands.

Voldemort sent a powerful blasting curse at her which she managed to deflect. Before she could cast another spell of her own, she felt a piercing pain in her head as Amelia Bones now found herself re-living her worst memories.

Crying out, the pain of losing so much of her family during the first war flashed before her eyes. She then saw her niece, Susan Bones, being mauled by the ferocious and unforgiving werewolf, Fenrir Greyback, her blood seeping down his vicious fangs.

Deciding to end her life, Voldemort said with a cold ferocity, " _AVADA KEDAVRA_." A final jet of green light slammed into Amelia Bones' face. She fell back against her nightstand; a sickening crack was heard. The unforgiving red eyes of the Dark Lord looked upon the deceased woman and he saw the neck of the leader of the Magical Law Enforcement had snapped.

His thin mouth twisting into a cruel sneer, Voldemort disapparated away, leaving the lifeless body behind.

Harry awoke the following morning with a huge smile spread across his face. No doubt, his dreams of Quidditch still fresh in his mind. Stretching his arms over his head, Harry opened the curtains of his four-poster bed and saw the morning sun, shining brightly into the windows of his dormitory.

Getting dressed, Harry, hearing Ron's soft snores, departed from his room and walked down the stairs into the cozy Gryffindor common room. There, he saw Hermione, sitting at a table by the window, reading her Potions textbook.

"Good morning, Hermione," Harry said, taking a seat across from her at the table.

Hermione looked up from her book as she said, "Oh, hello, Harry; you're up quite early."

"Am I," Harry asked, his eyebrows shooting upwards.

Hermione gave a small laugh and said, "Harry, haven't you noticed you and I are the only ones in the common room right now?"

Harry looked around and he saw that Hermione was indeed correct. "I actually didn't notice that until right now."

"You know, I must tell you that you played really well yesterday; it was like you never forgot how to fly. And the best part was, was that you seemed to be having a lot of fun."

Harry looked over at Hermione as he replied, "I did have a lot of fun, most definitely. But winning was great too."

Hermione laughed slightly as she asked, "Have you completed your Potions essay?"

"Not yet," Harry said, his mind wandering back off toward the Quidditch pitch. "Hermione, have you even thought about playing Quidditch?"

At his question, Hermione laughed loudly. After she calmed down, she said, "Harry, don't you remember last week when you took me for ride on your Firebolt, how nervous I was?"

"Well, maybe you've gotten over your nerves of flying," Harry suggested.

"No, Harry, I haven't…I don't know if I ever will, actually," she replied, looking out of the window.

"Maybe you and I can practice together," Harry proposed.

Hermione seemed to consider his offer for a slight moment before she said, "I rather have my feet left on the ground, but thanks for the offer."

A few minutes later, Ron had stumbled down into the common room and sat at the same table Harry and Hermione had occupied.

"Morning," Ron yawned, resting his head on his hand. "Hermione, why are you reading so early in the morning?"

Hermione's cheeks flared pink as she replied, "Because, Ron, I haven't finished my Potions essay and it's due tomorrow."

"Please don't talk about essays right now…it's too early for that," Ron replied sleepily.

Hermione huffed but remained silent, reopening her Potions textbook. Harry watched as Hermione's brown eyes move across and down the page. He smiled to himself as he watched her.

As more and more students started to awake and drift down into the common room, Harry could tell Hermione had tensed up each time she heard another new voice erupt into a new conversation.

Finally, after three third-year girls started cackling madly over a joke, Hermione slammed her book closed and stood up.

"Where are you going," Harry asked, startled by Hermione's sudden actions.

"Library," she seethed, stalking away.

Ron, who had remained oblivious to Hermione's increasing tension, turned to Harry and said, "Mental that one."

As Harry shrugged his shoulders, he said, "Let's go get something to eat." With that, Harry and Ron departed from the growing noise of the common room and headed down to the Great Hall.

As the pair sat down at the table, Neville Longbottom leaned over to them and whispered, "Do you guys know what happened to Susan?"

"Who," Harry asked.

"Oh, right," Neville said, his cheeks burning a bright red, "Sorry, Harry, I forgot about your…condition."

"What happened to Susan, Neville," Ron asked.

"I don't know; Dean said he saw Susan with Professor McGonagall and she was crying," Neville replied.

Ron shook his head and turned to Harry, explaining, "Susan Bones is in Hufflepuff. Her aunt is the head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. I overheard Mum say that the Bones' family was nearly completely obliterated during the first war."

Harry, who had been chewing on a rather delicious piece of coffee cake, felt his mouth go completely dry so that his cake started to taste like a stale piece of bread. Harry had lost his parents during the first war; not having much knowledge of his extended family besides his aunt, uncle, and cousin, he could not come to terms with what it must feel like to lose nearly an entire blood-line.

After the two finished their breakfast in silence, Harry said, "You know, I have to finish my Potions essay as well."

Ron grumbled and said, "Me too."

"Then let's go to the library and see if we can find Hermione." As Ron stood to his feet, Harry grabbed two muffin rolls and stuffed them into a napkin and the pair departed from the Great Hall.

After grabbing their belongings from their dormitory, Harry and Ron headed off for the library. Once inside, they walked along the towering rows of bookshelves, looking down each aisle, seeing if they could find Hermione.

Finally, the two spotted her, sitting a table situated under a window, scribbling away on her parchment.

"Figures she would be at the back of the library," Ron said. Ignoring him, Harry led the way over to Hermione.

"May we take a seat," Harry asked softly, not wanting to interrupt Hermione's concentration.

Looking up, she said, "Of course." She moved her things off of the surface of the table as Harry and Ron took seats next to and across from her.

"I got this for you," Harry said, handing over the napkin to Hermione. Opening it, her eyes softened at Harry's thoughtfulness for bringing her breakfast.

"Thank you, Harry," she said, smiling over at him.

"No problem," he replied, taking out his Potions textbook, his quill, and a roll of parchment.

"Hermione, why did you suddenly take off from the common room," Ron asked, looking over at her.

"Because I couldn't concentrate," she responded dryly. "Did you hear those girls sitting next to us?"

Harry and Ron shook their heads, confusion sifting into their eyes. "They were actually talking about you, Harry."

"Why me," he said, shocked.

"Well, after everyone realized you and Professor Dumbledore were telling the truth about V-Voldemort – oh get a grip, Ron – the Daily Prophet has started calling you, "The Chosen One."

"What is that supposed to mean," Harry asked.

Hermione sighed as she replied, "Many people suspect that you are the one that can bring about the end of Voldemort – oh please, Ron – and in doing so, you are now the fancy of many of the girls at Hogwarts."

Harry felt uneasy as this sudden 'celebrity status' he was now receiving. "Why didn't you say anything about this before?"

"Because, Harry, you always didn't like all the attention you received growing up. Besides, after the Daily Prophet slandered you and Professor Dumbledore all last year, you didn't really care what was printed in the Daily Prophet."

Hermione broke off a piece of her muffin as she returned back to writing her Potions essay. Harry looked over to Ron who said, "She's right, you know."

Harry nodded in mild understanding, trying to think back about being labeled a liar; he unfortunately could not retain those memories.

As the three students continued on with their essays, Ron had unconsciously started eating one of the muffins Harry had brought for Hermione.

As Hermione grabbed another piece of her muffin, a sudden voice yelled out, "What are you doing, eating in the library, you depraved children?!"

The trio looked up and saw the school librarian, Madam Pince, looking down upon them, her eyes flashing with fervor.

"Out, out with you three," she shouted, bearing down upon their table.

The three swiftly packed up their things and made a hasty exit out of the library.

"Well that was bloody brilliant," Ron moaned, his mouth still full of muffin.

"At least I finished my essay, though," Hermione commented. "Although, Professor Slughorn did say he wanted eighteen inches…I might've only written seventeen-and-a-half."

Harry saw Ron rolls his eyes and shake his head, but he refrained from saying anything. The rest of their Sunday passed by without incident; it was Monday morning when everything changed.

As Harry, Ron, and Hermione sat down at breakfast the following morning, owls flew in through the school's rafters and into the Great Hall, delivering mail to students from their parents.

An owl landed in front of Hermione which delivered her copy of the Daily Prophet. As Hermione paid the owl a knut, Harry asked, "Hermione, why do you still receive that for? Didn't you tell me they called me a liar all last year?"

"Yes, but it's best to have information on what's going on within the magical community," she responded, unfurling her paper. Seconds later, she gasped loudly, causing Ron to spill the contents of his goblet all over Neville, who was sitting next to him.

"What is it," Harry asked.

Hermione laid down the paper in front of them. A bold headline read: "Bones Found Dead!"

Harry read aloud: "Madam Amelia Bones, the head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement and member of the Wizengamot, has been found dead in her home; she was 43. Madam Bones was found murdered in her own home; her body was found inside her bedroom, with her door locked from the inside. There was no evidence of physical harm besides a snapped neck. Investigations have been opened as to who the murderer could be."

Silence fell over the trio as they pondered over this piece of news. "That is really sickening," Hermione said.

Harry looked up at the staff table and saw most of them were in deep discussion with one another, particularly Professors Dumbledore and McGonagall.

As Hermione picked up her paper and began ruffling through its pages, Ron poured himself a glass of pumpkin juice.

Harry took a bite out of his cake when a thought came reeling back to him. "That's why Susan was crying yesterday, Ron!"

Hermione peeked over the newspaper and asked, "What are you talking about?"

"Well, yesterday, after you went to the library, Ron and I came down here for breakfast when Neville told us that Dean said he saw Susan crying. Now we know why," Harry finished.

As Ron took a sip from his goblet, Hermione said, "Oh, this is awful."

"What now," Harry asked, dread welling through him.

Hermione laid down the newspaper as she said, "The Ministry found a family of three dead in their own home. The son, who was twenty-four, was a Muggleborn. The Ministry believes he was put under the Imperius Curse in which he was ordered to kill his parents and then himself."

For the rest of their breakfast, Hermione continued to read the Daily Prophet as Harry wondered how many people would have to die for one man who was obsessed with taking power over the wizarding community.

Walking down into the dungeons for Potions class, Hermione looked over at Harry and asked, "Are you feeling okay, Harry?"

"What? Oh, um, yeah, I feel fine," he lied, without looking over at her. He sensed that she knew he wasn't telling her the truth but Hermione dropped the subject for now.

The three Gryffindors grabbed a table all to themselves as Professor Slughorn walked out from behind his desk and faced the class, smiling widely.

"Welcome, welcome, to another Potions lesson! Today, we will begin to brew the Venomous Tentacula Juice. Now, who here can tell me what this is," Slughorn asked, as he turned toward Hermione who had her hand raised in the air.

"Ah, yes, Miss Granger," he said.

"The Venomous Tentacula Juice is from the Venomous Tentacula plant where the juice acts like a poison however, it is not deadly. The drinker of the juice feels a burning sensation on the inside of his or her stomach while the skin of the drinker turns purple."

"Excellent, ten points to Gryffindor," Slughorn called out. "Now, in the hour that remains, I would like each of you to brew your version of the Venomous Tentacula Juice; the directions of which can be found on page one-hundred and twenty seven of your textbooks. On you go then!"

Per usual, stools skidded across the stone floor of the dungeon as students rushed over to the supply cabinet to collect the required ingredients in order to brew the juice.

Half an hour later, Hermione, who had just added a handful of roots into her cauldron, seemed to have progressed the furthest out of anyone, as her potion was a deep green, the ideal halfway stage according to the Potions textbook.

Harry stirred his potion clockwise twenty-three times and added up his recently chopped roots; to his relief, his potion turned a deep green that mirrored Hermione's.

Professor Slughorn started to walk around the room, looking down into the cauldrons of his students to see how far they have come with the Venomous Tentacula Juice.

When he reached Harry's table, he looked down Ron's cauldron and cringed in disgust. Moving on to Hermione's, he gave an approving nod. Finally, upon seeing Harry's, he smiled delightedly and said, "I must tell you, Mr. Potter that you have seemed to inherit your mother's natural potion-making ability!"

As Harry smiled inwardly, he continued to stir his potion, nearing the end stages in order to complete the juice.

The school bell clanged loudly about, startling everyone in the room. "Okay, time is up! I want each of you to flask what is in your cauldron's, clearly label the vial with your name, and leave it on my desk for grading!"

As Harry and Hermione walked up to deliver their version of the Venomous Tentacula Juice, Professor Slughorn approached them and said, "I should let the two of you know that the both of you will receive an invitation to my special Slug Club meeting scheduled for tomorrow night! I do hope to see the both of you there. I really not rather spoil a surprise I have in store but I'll tell the two of you anyway: I have a special guest that I have invited to join us!"  
"That sounds wonderful, professor," Hermione said, faking a smile.

She and Harry departed from the dungeons together, as Ron had decided not to wait for them; Harry turned to Hermione and asked, "I thought you didn't want to go to his meetings, Hermione?"

She shrugged her shoulders as she replied, "Well, I guess it wouldn't hurt to attend one of his meetings."

"Do you think it'll be any fun?"

Hermione laughed loudly as she replied, "Harry, I honestly doubt it but you never know, maybe it could be entertaining."

For the rest of the day, Harry and Hermione's minds seem to wander over who the special guest to Professor Slughorn's Slug Club meeting could be.

Whenever they brought up the topic when they were together, Ron seemed to grow increasingly grumpy and would refuse to partake in their conversation.

The following night, Harry and Hermione departed from Gryffindor Tower and headed for Professor Slughorn's office.

Upon entering his office, Harry turned to Hermione and asked, "Why do you think Ron has been so moody these past two days?"

"It's probably because he's angry that he didn't get an invitation to Professor Slughorn's Slug Club meeting," Hermione reasoned.

"Really? Because, he can take my place if he wants," Harry said.

Hermione laughed, shook her head, and said, "Let's go inside."

As they entered into the Potions masters' office, the pair saw a wide, round table was placed in the center of the room.

Harry and Hermione saw other students Professor Slughorn had deemed worthy of joining him for his meeting.

Setting his eyes on the two Gryffindors, Slughorn called out, "Ah, Mr. Potter and Miss Granger, how wonderful of you to join us! Take a seat, take seat!"

As they did so, the Potions master said to them, "Now, I believe the two of you know my special guest, do you?"

Harry and Hermione as one turned their attention to the woman sitting next to Professor Slughorn: this was a woman Harry did not recognize yet she seemed to recognize him. Harry, however, felt Hermione seething next to him.

"How are you, my dears," the voice of woman asked; to Harry, it sounded as if this woman was speaking in mythical tones.

"Um, fine, I guess," Harry responded.

He turned his gaze over to Hermione who, surprising Harry, had begun to smile as she responded, "Hello Professor Trelawney, how do you do?"


	21. The Invitation

Harry Potter and a Marauder Revival

Author's Note: Hello all! I hope you all enjoyed Chapter 20 of "Harry Potter and a Marauder Revival!" Chapter 21 is a work-in-progress and will be posted **THURSDAY NIGHT!** Thank you to everyone that has reviewed thus far; it really helps! Don't forget to leave a short-review for Chapter 21 (or a long review if you'd like) and as always, positive and negative reviews are welcomed)!

Chapter 21: The Invitation

"Oh, my dear child, the mythical tones are calling to me with more disturbing news than usual," Professor Trelawney cried out, her hands clamped into fists that slammed onto the surface of the table, making the chinaware rattle about.

"Goodness me, Sybill, I think we have all received our fair share of horrible news lately," Professor Slughorn said, clutching his heart.

"Fear shall reign again, I assure you, very, very soon," she replied, her gaze shifting over to Harry, her eyes amplified by her overlarge glasses.

Slughorn seemed to regain his composure as he looked away from Trelawney and toward his students, a wide smile breaking across his face.

"Yes, well, anyway, as some of you know, I would like to introduce our very special guest, Ms. Sybill Trelawney, the Divination teacher here at Hogwarts. It just so happened that I ran across Professor Trelawney when she had inquired if I had any leftover sherry bottles. 'Indeed I do,' I proudly exclaimed, as I invited her into my office! From there, we started talking about wild antics that are happening outside these walls and we came around talking about this little get together we are having tonight, so I thought it would be for the best if she joined us here on this festive evening," Professor Slughorn finished, his face jovial, his cheeks were a bright red, as if he had just run a marathon.

Silence ensued after the Potions master's little speech; the eyes of the students in attendance were wide.

"Yes…well, on with our little party, then," Slughorn plowed on, as he uncovered his plate that was situated in front of him, revealing a slice of chocolate gateau.

The rest of the students along with Professor Trelawney followed suit; it seemed though as if Professor Slughorn had received the biggest serving of the dessert than anyone else.

As small conversation broke around the round table, Harry turned to Hermione and asked, "Hermione, why does that woman keep staring over at me?"

Hermione looked around and saw Professor Trelawney still had her eyes fixated on Harry. She rolled her eyes as she responded, "Back in third year, Professor Trelawney was obsessed with predicting your death every class period; it was all a bunch of nonsense."

"She predicted my death? Why would she do something like that," Harry asked.

"According to Professor McGonagall, she predicted the death of a student every year; maybe it's for the theatrics as Divination is such a rubbish subject to begin with," Hermione said, annoyance seeping through her voice.

"Why would she dramatize death; I don't think there's anything funny about that," Harry wondered.

"I don't think she found it funny, Harry; Professor Trelawney is, well…she's a bid odd. I know were all are in our own way but she's…well, out there, if you know what I mean. But don't take it personally, Harry, I mean, you're still alive, aren't you?"

Harry nodded as he took another bite of his chocolate gateau when he noticed all side conversations had ceased as Professor Slughorn was looking directly at him.

"I'm sorry," Harry asked, looking around the table.

"I asked you, my dear boy, how are you feeling? You took quite a hit to the head, Mr. Potter, a short while ago," Slughorn asked.

"Oh, right, I feel fine," Harry replied.

Slughorn laughed in a wheezy manor, saying, "Oh, he's so modest!"

Harry looked over at Professor Trelawney who just, not a moment ago, had missed her mouth with her fork, smearing her left cheek in chocolate icing.

Trying to hide his smile, Harry ducked his head and stuffed a knuckle in his mouth to keep from laughing out loud.

"Harry, are you okay," Hermione asked, looking over at him.

He merely nodded in reply.

"Now, I understand Cormac, that one of your uncles who works in the Ministry of Magic is actually on friendly terms with the Minister himself," Slughorn asked, turning his head to look to his left.

"Oh, yes, me and my uncle actually went on a trip with Rufus Scrimgeour; this was, of course, before he became the minister," Cormac replied. This piece of information seemed to stun Slughorn, as he now seemed to be hopping up and down in his seat with excitement.

Cormac McLaggen was a Gryffindor seventh-year student; he had a strong build, with curly blonde hair, styled off to the side. Harry saw Cormac staring over at Hermione who seemed oblivious against his gaze; an uneasy feeling started to bubble on the surface of Harry's stomach.

"I know we can't all have our own personal contacts from within the ministry by trust me, Cormac, having connections can propel any career quite far if I do say so myself," Slughorn beamed.

"You're right, sir," Cormac replied, finishing off his dessert.

"Yes, well at any rate -,"

"OH!" As one, every head at the table turned towards Professor Trelawney who had suddenly cried out.

"What is it, Sybill," Slughorn asked concerned, turning his attention towards her.

"I feel such a strong aurora building from within these castle's walls! Oh yes, a mighty and vindictive force will soon be reckoned with," she said loudly, her voice laced with fiery mystique. "I fear, my dears, I am feeling the presence of the G -,"

"Oh for heaven's sake, not the Grim," Hermione cried out noisily, startling everyone. "How many times have you droned on about that silly little omen?"

Professor Trelawney seemed to have been shaken out of her stupor. "Silly little omen, oh my dear, the Grim is the darkest omen in our world," Trelawney said, standing to her feet; Harry noticed she still had chocolate icing smeared across her left cheek.

"The so-called darkest omen in our world holds no truth behind from which we can derive any factual information from," Hermione shot back.

"It does not need to hold any truth! Any open-minded student would understand the validity of such a dark premise!"

"I think you mean more of a foolish premise," Hermione said, she too standing to her feet. "I take offense to the fact that my best friend has always been labeled with this irrational Grim."

"It is something he should take offense for! It is not only the darkest omen in our world for no reason," Trelawney nearly shouted.

"It would be if there was reason to believe such a thing existed!"

As Hermione stared wildly over at Trelawney from across the table, their former Divination professor coldly said, "If you must know, I also sensed your temperament has not changed ever since you left my class three years ago; I cannot say I'm surprised by your spontaneous outburst."

Harry looked up at Hermione who seemed to be flaring with barely suppressed rage. "I for one am quite glad I decided to quit wasting my time with such subjects that hold no validity or importance." With that, Hermione departed from Slughorn's office.

Excusing himself, Harry quickly stood up from his chair and followed Hermione out of the office to an awe-inspired Professor Slughorn and Cormac McLaggen.

"Hermione! Hermione, wait up," Harry said, running to catch up with her. "What was that about?"

Without looking at him, she kept walking on, still refusing to answer his question. He decided she needed time to cool off as he had never seen Hermione confront any professor that held authority before.

"I just cannot stand how she goes on and on about the Grim. I mean, that was three years ago and she still tags you with that rubbish omen! I know you don't remember it, Harry, but back in third year, every single Divination class, she would not stop talking about it. It was like she was signing your own death sentence," Hermione explained.

"Yeah, it doesn't seem like something I fancy, if I'm to be completely honest with you," Harry remarked, making Hermione smile slightly.

"The whole subject of Divination is just a bunch of guess-work if you ask me," Hermione continued. "I don't understand why we are even required to take that class."

"Well, maybe some good can come from taking it," Harry suggested.

"Like what?"

"I don't know exactly, but there are things in which we don't or we can't understand now, but one day, I believe we all will; we'll begin to understand more than we could possibly imagine," Harry replied, looking over at Hermione.

"When have you become so philosophical, Harry," Hermione joked.

"There's nothing philosophical about it; just the facts of life," he replied, giving her a small smile.

As they continued to walk through the castle, Harry asked, "Did you see McLaggen staring at you, Hermione?"

"Yes but I chose to ignore him. He's vile," she whispered.

"Really? What makes you think so," Harry asked.

"I heard him bashing the Gryffindor Quidditch team."

"He talks bad about his own houses' team?"

"Yes, he…well he didn't particularly think Ron is the best keeper for Gryffindor," Hermione said slowly. "He was boasting in the common room a few nights after the match that if he was keeper, he wouldn't have let any goals get past him."

"Has he always been thick-headed," Harry seethed.

"I don't know, actually. I only met him this year," Hermione remarked. "But I know enough about him to which I think I'll keep my distance from him."

Harry nodded his head, suddenly feeling as if a hand that had unknowingly started squeezing his stomach together in a vice-like grip mere moments ago had relinquished its hold over Harry.

"Hermione, you don't think the Grim is real," Harry suddenly asked, thinking upon their earlier conversation after they had departed from Slughorn's party.

"No, I don't, Harry. Having you walk beside me at this very moment is enough evidence for that," she replied. "Why do you ask?"

"It's just that I can't help but feel that death omens do exist, with everything that is happening now," he stated. "All of these murderers and deaths…it's going to get worse, isn't it?"

The harsh reality had seemed to settle itself upon the two young students. Hermione looked troubled as she answered, "Yes, Harry, I think you're right. Since I obviously don't have the gift of a Seer, I believe things are going to take a turn for the worse."

"I wonder what students thought about their future during the first war," Harry said. "I can't imagine their time being much better than ours."

Hermione thought back to her and Harry's reprieve back to 1976 mere weeks ago: it seemed as if life had continued to go on inside Hogwarts no matter how dark the situation was becoming outside its walls.

"I think Harry, it's important to remember to live. After all, life is short: after blinking a few times, we'll all be old enough to reminisce about things we wished we could have done when we were younger."

"That's if we survive this war," Harry remarked.

"Harry, you mustn't speak like that. It's almost as if you have given up before you could even get started!"

"Hermione, you have already described Voldemort to me. It's not hard to register that he has magic much beyond my own ability. He also has those, what did you call them, Death Eaters I think, at his command. It's like reading the writing on the wall."

Hermione remained quiet as she looked at Harry. Sighing lightly, she said, "Harry, many people have faith in you. I know that could be adding an extra burden on your shoulders but it should give you some sense of hope. Many people want to rid our world of V-Voldemort and his Death Eaters. You are not alone in this fight with him.

"It's like you said, Harry. We don't understand why everything happens but the truth of the matter is, is that everything happens for a reason. And one day, we'll understand it. But that day is not today. All we can do is continue on with life; when the time comes to face our enemy, we will do it together."

Harry looked over at Hermione and slowly nodded his head. After all, she was right, he decided; it was no use feeling dreary about a future in which he knew nothing about. Hope was something he could ransom unto himself that would keep him losing hope in the dark days yet to come.

Right before the pair turned a corner, they heard harsh voices spring about. Harry put out an arm in front of Hermione and pushed her behind him instantly.

"I told you before, I can't tell you what it is I'm doing! Just do as I say," one voice said.

"Why is it we have to listen to you? Did you forget that your father get himself locked up in Azkaban just a few months ago," another voice whispered back venomously.

"What does my father have to do with anything? The Dark Lord gave this job specifically to me. If he didn't tell you of his plan, that's not my problem."

"You filthy little swine; you think you're so important just because the Dark Lord gave you a job you seem incompetent of successfully carrying out! Please, spare us when death comes knocking on your door!"

"I don't bloody care if have no faith in my abilities to follow through with what the Dark Lord has entrusted to me. Clearly, I'd be surprised if you had an ounce of courageousness to say this in the presence of the Dark Lord!"

A scuffling sound was heard until two voices broke up exchange. "Mr. Malfoy and Mr. Goyle, may I ask what the two of you are doing out of your beds after hours?"

Harry recognized that voice instantly as to none other than Professor Snape. He heard Hermione gasp audibly in his ear. Refusing to be caught, Harry motioned for Hermione to back up slowly and quietly.

As they did so, Harry could hear one of the voices reply, "I was patrolling, professor, and Goyle was with me as we were discussing our project we had to complete for Potions."

"So it seems," Professor Snape drawled. "Would you care to head back to your dormitories; I shall patrol from here on."

Harry heard two pairs of feet head off away from them. Feeling a tug on the back of his light coat, Harry found himself inside a dark classroom.

"We have to wait until Professor Snape is gone," Hermione whispered.

The two students crept farther and farther into the dark space, making their way away from the door.

To their horror, in the next instant, the door banged open, letting light pour into the room. Harry and Hermione dived behind separate desks, covering their mouths as to not let their breathing give them away.

Hard footfalls were heard as Professor Snape walked along each aisle, in-between each desk, the sound of his shoes against the concrete floors echoing between the four walls of the classroom.

Harry, crouched over in a terribly uncomfortable position, did not dare make any sound. As the footsteps grew ever closer, Harry decided to hold his breath. The footsteps came to a sudden stop, though Harry did not know why for he could not see Snape from his vantage point.

Of what seemed like an hour later, Snape strode out of the classroom, slamming the door behind him, plunging the space into total blackness.

Harry took out his wand a muttered, " _LUMOS_." Crawling out from behind his hiding space, Harry lifted his wand higher into the air to give the room more light. To his right, he saw Hermione walking over to him.

"Do you think he's gone," she whispered softly to Harry so that he could barely hear her.

"I don't know," he replied.

"I think we should wait just in case," she said back.

"Okay," Harry replied. They both suddenly heard a sound just outside the door. Hermione reacted by gripping Harry's arm tightly. " _NOX_ ," Harry whispered, extinguishing his wand tip.

Harry and Hermione took steps away from the classroom door, fearing as if Professor Snape might come back and check the room again for any signs of life.

Their breaths were the only sounds that could be heard in the room; their eyes transfixed on what lie beyond the closed door. Harry felt Hermione shiver involuntarily as he, himself, felt his breathing quicken.

Harry abruptly heard Hermione gasp about. Whipping out his wand and turning towards her, he was confused when he saw her head was turned towards one of the room's lengthy windows.

Slightly annoyed, Harry asked, "What is it?"

"Harry, look outside," Hermione whispered, nodding her head towards one of the windows.

Harry crept up toward the glass pane and looked outside. "I don't see anything," he commented, looking upon the empty grounds of Hogwarts.

"No, Harry, look up," Hermione responded.

When he did so, he was filled with an awestruck wonder: the night sky seemed to be burning a dark blue yet, millions of bright, twinkling stars were scattered among the vast area. As the horizon was indistinguishable, it seemed as if the midnight blue setting continued on forever.

"It's beautiful isn't it," Hermione asked quietly.

Harry looked over at her before returning his gaze out of the window. "Yes, it is." The two students stood there, transfixed by sight and not of sound, gazing into the wonder of beauty shining brilliantly against depressing times.

"I think we should head back," Harry said after a few quiet moments, "We do have class tomorrow."

"Yeah, you're right," Hermione replied, tearing her gaze away from the windows. The two Gryffindors silently made their way back over to the door which Harry opened slowly, the object squeaking in protest.

Harry poked his head to his left and right, seeing if anyone was in the corridor he and Hermione were about to enter. Finding the passageway deserted, Harry grabbed Hermione's hand and the two quickly made their way back towards Gryffindor Tower.

Harry wondered if Hermione had felt the slight electric surge he felt when their hands met one another.

"Hermione, what do you think that conversation was about," Harry asked, noting the harsh tones that Malfoy and Goyle were using against each other.

"I don't know but it didn't sound good at all. It seemed as if Malfoy was up to something and Goyle was trying to figure out what it was. The strange thing about this whole is thing is that Malfoy always tells Crabbe and Goyle everything."

"Who's Crabbe," Harry asked, shooting Hermione a puzzled look.

"Oh, he's another one of Malfoy's thugs. In reality, both him and Goyle probably couldn't find their way out of Hogwarts even with a map," Hermione replied.

"But the three of them are good friends?"

"Presumably so, yes; I mean they have been together since first year."

"But that's not how friends talk to each other," Harry responded innocently.

Hermione laughed as she said, "Harry, you're so simple sometimes; not that that is a bad thing. Sometimes simplicity is the answer to all things unseen."

"Scurvy Cur," Hermione said when the pair reached the portrait that led into their house common room. The Fat Lady looked at both of them grudgingly but she let them enter nonetheless.

"I don't know how much weight that conversation held between Malfoy and Goyle but I think it's something that we shouldn't let bother us."

"It sounded serious though," Harry replied. "It could be something that affects us in the end."

"Maybe so and maybe not; Malfoy is known for his brash arrogance. That obviously doesn't explain the fact why he didn't tell Goyle of his plans but he kept insisting Voldemort had entrusted this plan to him. But tonight, there's nothing we can do about it. I think it's best just to get some sleep."

Seeing as it was so late into the night, Harry and Hermione were not surprised to the find the common room completely empty upon their return. The two wandered up the spiral staircase and up the landing that led off to their respective dormitories.

"Well, good night, Harry," Hermione said, looking up at him.

He smiled tightly and replied, "Good night, Hermione." With that, the two students went off in opposite directions and into their own dormitories.

Upon entering his, Harry instantly heard Ron's snores filling up the room. Shaking his head in mock disbelief, Harry changed into his pajamas, climbed between his warm sheets of his bed, and closed the curtains. Just a few minutes later, he drifted off into a peaceful slumber, his thoughts drifting far away from Malfoy and Goyle and closer and closer towards Hermione Granger.

After waking up the following morning, Harry got dressed and headed down to the common room, sitting down in a nearby armchair, his eyes still drifting close on their own accord as his sleepiness still weighed heavily on him.

"Morning Harry," Ron yawned, plopping down next to Harry. "The party any fun," he asked, as Harry noted his tone had several notes of bitterness in it.

"To an extent; we didn't really do much except have chocolate gateau and Professor Trelawney was there too."

"Professor Trelawney?! What was she doing there," Ron asked, his eye wide with attention.

"Slughorn invited her after she asked him if he had any leftover sherry," Harry replied.

"Did she talk about the Grim again," Ron asked sarcastically, a smile creeping onto his face.

"As a matter of fact, she did."

Upon hearing Harry's answer, Ron's grin slipped away instantly. "Honestly, I don't think she ever got over the fact you didn't die after third year with her predicting your death every class or so," Ron joked. "I mean, you're still here now, aren't you?"

"It seems so, doesn't it?"

As Ron laughed, Hermione came down the stairs. "Good morning Harry and Ron. Shall we go get some breakfast?"

"Yes, I'm starving," Ron grumbled as the trio walked out of the portrait hole.

"Ron, why are you always hungry," Hermione asked, looking over at him.

"Hermione, people have got to eat," he replied.

"Anyway, I have something to tell you." Harry listened as Hermione told Ron about the conversation she and Harry had overheard between Malfoy and Goyle the night previously. When she finished, she asked, "So what do you think?"

"It sounds like Malfoy was showing off to Goyle," he replied.

"That's what I initially thought but when has Malfoy kept anything from Crabbe and Goyle? I cannot remember a time where he did so."

"Well, we don't exactly follow those dunderheads around all the time," Ron replied. "I mean, I'm not one to agree with Malfoy but would you reveal any important plans to people as thick as Crabbe and Goyle?"

"Well…no but that doesn't mean Malfoy probably hasn't before. Anyway, it's not like Malfoy is the brightest of the bunch either, when you stop and think about it." Ron merely shrugged his shoulders in reply.

As the three made their way into the Great Hall, Ron asked, "Did you two see the notice board in the common room since last night?"

Hermione shook her head and replied, "No, why?"

"Because Hogwarts is hosting a training lesson for apparition," Ron exclaimed excitedly.

"Oh, that sounds wonderful," Hermione said.

"Yeah, it costs twelve galleons and you have to sign up in the common room," Rom explained. "The first class is this Saturday."

After the three sat down at the Gryffindor table, they were shortly joined by Ginny. "Morning everyone," she said, sitting down across from Harry.

"Good morning, Ginny," Hermione said, smiling over at her.

"You guys excited to start practicing apparating," Ginny asked, looking at the three in turn.

"Well, I just told Harry and Hermione as they hadn't heard about it until now," Ron said, his mouth full of ham.

Ginny turned to Harry and asked, "You didn't hear about it before?"

Harry shook his head as he said, "Hermione and I were at Slughorn's party last night and we got back pretty late."

"How was that party? That seventh-year student, McLaggen, was bragging about a personal invite just a few nights ago," Ginny said, rolling her eyes.

"It was okay; nothing special really," Harry answered.

"Hang on: you said you got back late. How late did this party go to," Ginny asked, eyeing both Harry and Hermione in suspicion.

"Harry and I overheard Malfoy and Goyle arguing with each other. Professor Snape came by so we hid in a nearby classroom," Hermione said.

"What were Malfoy and Goyle fighting about," Ginny asked.

"Well, apparently, Voldemort – get a hold of yourself, Ron – gave Malfoy a task he had to do and he wouldn't tell Goyle what it was; that was pretty much the extent of it," Hermione answered.

"Leave it to Malfoy to show-off even to his so-called friends," Ginny said bitterly. "Anyway, I'm off to class. See you guys." With a wave of her hand, she left the table but not before she looked back over her shoulder to Harry and gave him a discreet smile.

Feeling rather uncomfortable, Harry asked, "Is Malfoy really that bad?"

Ron started choking on his pumpkin juice. Harry thumped him on the back a few times before Ron sputtered, "Is Malfoy that bad? Harry, that's like asking is nighttime really that dark? Of course he is!"

"Excuse him, Ron, that Harry doesn't really remember some of these rather unimportant personality traits," Hermione said coldly.

Ron ignored her as he continued, "Malfoy is like this sickness you can never get rid of. He's a downright nightmare, thinking everyone else besides him is a waste of space and fresh air."

As Ron kept regaling Harry over and over with how foul Malfoy was, Harry was suddenly sorry he had ever asked if Malfoy really was a bad person. The trio headed off their lessons.

The three continued on with their day attending their classes one after the other. As soon as they were finished for the day, Harry and Hermione traveled back to Gryffindor Tower where they immediately went to the notice board and scrawled their names upon the list of students that would be practicing apparition this upcoming Saturday.

After Harry had signed his name under Hermione's, he heard a voice call out, "Harry Potter?"

Harry turned and saw a young boy looked up at him. "Yes," Harry replied, looking down at him.

"Um, I was told…I was t-told to g-give this to you," he stammered, his cheeks burning a bright red, as he held up a roll of parchment.

"Um, thanks," Harry responded shortly as the boy scurried away.

"Who's it from, Harry," Hermione asked.

"I dunno," he replied, unfurling the roll of parchment. Reading it once, he suddenly said, "It's from Dumbledore."

"Professor Dumbledore? What does he want with you," Hermione asked again, looking over Harry's shoulder so that she could read the note.

"I guess he'll find out soon enough," Ron answered, appearing behind Harry's other shoulder and taking a read of the note himself.

"Well, you'd better go then, Harry," Hermione said. He nodded his head in silence once before giving a quick wave to Ron and Hermione before he exited Gryffindor Tower.

As Harry walked to the headmaster's office, he wondered what on earth could the headmaster of the school want with him. Maybe to check up on him to see if he had regained his lost memories, perhaps?

A short time later, Harry stood in front of the gargoyle that stood in front of Professor Dumbledore's entrance. "Uh," Harry stuttered, looking down at the note, "Toffee Éclair?" At once, the gargoyle jumped aside, revealing a winding staircase ascending upwards.

Harry jumped on the stairs and he soon found himself standing in front of the door to the headmaster of Hogwarts. After knocking softly three times, a voice called out, "Enter."

Harry opened the door and stepped into the office of Albus Dumbledore. "Ah, Harry, please have a seat," Dumbledore said, waving his wand and making a comfortable-looking armchair appear instantly. "Thank you for coming on such short notice."

"Oh, it's no problem, sir," Harry replied. "Although, I'm not entirely sure why I am here?"

Dumbledore smiled warmly over at Harry from behind his desk as he said, "I'm afraid, Harry, there are things that must be discussed between us that are part of our now sobering reality. But before we partake in that conversation, I must ask you if you have regained your memories?"

"No, I haven't but things are beginning to become clearer to me but my memories are still somewhat non-existent," Harry said; though something inside of Harry told him Dumbledore already knew the answer to that question.

"Very well, Harry. I believe that in due time, you shall regain your lost memories, which I am sure is a welcome relief. Am I also to understand that Miss Granger has filled you in with details regarding the current climate that encompasses our community at the present time?"  
"Are you referring to Voldemort," Harry asked.

"Yes, Harry, I am referring to Lord Voldemort," Dumbledore responded.

"Hermione has told me almost everything. She told me that it was through a recent event in which the Ministry of Magic actually believed Voldemort had come back."

"Indeed it was, a very recent event in fact. And this is why I have asked you to come tonight: Harry, right now, we are in an open war. With the Ministry of Magic finally declaring the return of Lord Voldemort, lines have been drawn and the fighting has begun. People are starting to choose sides now and their choices may very well be one of the last choices they ever make."

"Like Madam Bones," Harry inserted.

Dumbledore looked over at Harry for a long moment before nodding his head. "Yes, a terrible, terrible loss. She was a great witch, perhaps the brightest witch of her age."

"There's something I don't understand about her death though."

"And what is that, Harry?"

"Well, the Daily Prophet said that she was the Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement."  
"That is correct."

"Didn't she have any other protection with her at all times? It would seem like everyone who is against Voldemort is a target now," Harry reasoned.

"I completely agree and so did Madam Bones for she did have protection that night with her," Dumbledore replied.

"She did," Harry asked. "But the Daily Prophet didn't say anything about it."

"Yes, you're absolutely right about that, Harry, yet this is where matters take an unsettling turn. You see, the aurors that were there that night for Madam Bones' protection were also murdered by Lord Voldemort."

"But why wasn't their deaths reported in the Daily Prophet then?"

"Because the two aurors that were on duty were both Muggleborn." Dumbledore clasped his fingers together and rested them under his chin as he watched Harry over his half-moon spectacles.

Harry thought about Dumbledore's answer before recognition finally hit him. "So the Daily Prophet didn't think the deaths of two people who come from non-magical families are important enough, do they," Harry spat out, disgusted with the prejudice some people still had against others.

"Yes, Harry; I am afraid that is correct."

"But what about the second story of the man who killed his Muggle parents?"

" That man was placed under the Imperius Curse which is one of the three Unforgivable Curses making it against the law to cast one," Dumbledore explained.

"How can we still be so cruel to one another in times like these? I mean, it's like you said, there's a war going on and people are still obsessed with the idea of whom and who isn't Muggleborn?"

"While I agree with your sentiments Harry, it is important to remember that we are all human beings; imperfect though we always strive for the unattainable. Vying for the impossible is what makes human beings so great yet it also highlights our flaws. We sometimes run a course for which we see no end in sight yet we still will ourselves to complete it. On the other hand, that same course could be a route which never ends, only we are too blind to see it.

"However, my topic of discussion tonight is indeed about Lord Voldemort. A man, if one can still call him as such, that is so evil and nefarious, that people still fear to speak his name. These are difficult times that we are in, Harry, and very soon, there will be a time in which everyone must make a choice: to side with good or evil. Yet, in times of darkness, people will latch onto a hope of sorts, of something they believe can end the horrific reign of Lord Voldemort."

"And that person they are looking to is me," Harry interrupted. Noticing Dumbledore's questioning look, Harry explained, "Hermione told me about the title of 'The Chosen One' that my persona has seemed to have unwillingly adopted."

"And what do you think of that title, Harry?"

"It adds a lot of pressure on me," he replied truthfully. "I have no extraordinary skills that I could possibly use against Voldemort."

"But you do, Harry. You have the ability to love. Your relationships with your friends and, although you do not remember it now, your family, comes into play every day of your life. Before the end, it will come into play again."

"And 'love' is supposed to defeat Voldemort?"

Dumbledore smiled as he said, "Love is the one thing Lord Voldemort fears for he does not understand the concept of it. A feeling or sorts in which he has never had access to nor does he have access to now. He doesn't understand it, Harry and as reality shows, people fear what they don't understand."

"I'm not sure I follow you, sir," Harry said.

"You won't understand initially, Harry, and for your sake, I'm sorry to say it is not my job to explain it to you. You, yourself, have to find out the true meaning of love and how you can wield it in your favor. To put it bluntly, you and Lord Voldemort are on a collision course; at the end of the road, you two will come face to face. But remember, Harry, no one lasts forever."

As Harry nodded his head, indicating he understood, Dumbledore stood up from his chair, opened a drawer of a nearby unit, and pulled out an object in which Harry did not know.

Seeing the puzzled look in Harry's eyes, Dumbledore smiled warmly as he said, "This, Harry, is a pensive. It is a device in which one can store memories to look upon at any time. We are here tonight to use this for the sake of helping you to understand Lord Voldemort better."

"Do you mean to say that these memories we will be traveling into are Lord Voldemort's," Harry asked.

"Oh no, not his memories but memories of him," Dumbledore explained, pulling out a thin flask in which a flurry, thin strand was resting in. "These memories are important collections that I have looked upon over the years and now, I'd like you to see them."

Harry looked in Dumbledore's warm blue eyes and nodded his head in acceptance. Seeing his nod, Dumbledore removed the topper of the flask and poured its contents into the pensive.

"When you are ready, Harry, I want you push your face under the surface of the pensive."

Harry took a deep breath and walked forward. Looking down into the depths of the object, Harry dunked his face into the surface. Feeling as if a cold wind had rushed through him, Harry felt himself falling down into the memories containing a young Lord Voldemort.

Sometime later, Harry found himself walking back towards Gryffindor Tower, his mind racing with thoughts about what he had seen in the pensive of a very young Tom Riddle, and his days at an orphanage.

Entering through the portrait of the Fat Lady, Harry was surprised yet pleased to find Ron and Hermione had waited up for him.

"So mate, how did it go," Ron asked.

"What did Professor Dumbledore want," came Hermione's voice laced with wariness.

Harry replied, "Actually, all Dumbledore wanted was to help me understand Voldemort better." When Harry said the name 'Voldemort,' Ron convulsed violently.

Ignoring his bodily actions, Hermione remarked, "Wow, that is fascinating. What did he do to try to help to understand him better?"

"He showed me memories about his past. He showed me a memory of when he was young and at an orphanage."

"You-Know-Who was an orphan," Ron interjected, his mouth falling open.

Harry nodded and said, "Yes, he was."

"I didn't know that."

Hermione rolled her eyes and said, "Yes, I'm sure many people did."

Before Ron had time to answer back, two rolls of parchments tied with a crisp bow suddenly appeared in front of Harry and Hermione.

"What in the name of -," Ron began.

Harry and Hermione both took their respective rolls and untied the bow. As Ron looked over Harry's shoulder, Harry read aloud, "You are cordially invited to Professor Slughorn's annual Christmas Ball that is to take place on the evening of December 20th, starting at eight come nightfall. You may bring one guest in which the attire is set as formal wear. I look forward to spending what is sure to be the most enchanting evening of the year with you!"

After initial shock had left Harry about being invited to Slughorn's Christmas ball, his heart skipped a beat when he read that he was allowed to bring one guest. Immediately after finishing reading his invitation, Harry looked up at Hermione. However, he noticed something was wrong for Hermione was wearing a sorrowful expression.

Following her gaze, Harry saw Ron stamping up the stairs, his head bent low. For at that moment, Harry realized only two invitations had been sent and Ron was excluded.


	22. The Calling Crow

Harry Potter and a Marauder Revival

Author's Note: Hello everyone! Thank you to everyone that reviewed my story thus far…I really appreciate the comments. Chapter 23 is a work-in-progress and will be posted **SUNDAY NIGHT!** I have received a few comments regarding when Harry will regain his memories yet those comments are not right (you'll have to wait and see when Harry gets his memories back). Anyway, don't forget to let me know what you thought of Chapter 22 with a short review (both positive and negative feedback is welcome)!

Chapter 22: The Calling Crow

Over the next couple of days, Harry and Hermione were hesitant about bringing up the now touchy subject of Professor Slughorn's Christmas Party around Ron. For his part, however, Ron seemed to completely forget about not receiving an invitation to the party for his mood was anything but grumpy and depressed.

"I don't know, he's seemed to have completely forgotten about it," Harry whispered over to Hermione as they tried to complete their Potions essay Friday night after dinner. "He seemed really put-out over something that doesn't seem like a big deal."

"I think he doesn't like being excluded from things when we are part of them; I mean, he is our best friend after all," Hermione replied without looking up from her piece of parchment she was scribbling upon.

"Maybe, it just seems strange that he's completely content now when not even two nights ago, he was so sullen when we received our invitations," Harry noted. He turned his head and look out of the window they were sitting against at the clear night.

Harry could see his reflection in the glassed pane as a nearby lamp burned bright between the two working students.

"So did you see the notice board this morning," Harry asked, looking over at Hermione, his Potions essay forgotten about momentarily.

"Are you talking about the upcoming Hogesmeade trip?"

"Yeah."

"What about it?"

"Well, seeing as I don't remember ever going there, what's there to do?"

Hermione stopped writing as she too took a glance out of the window. "Well, there are a lot of shops to visit; Zonko's Joke Shop is a popular choice along with Honeydukes. Also, you, Ron, and I usually take a visit to the Three Broomsticks as well," Hermione answered, returning to her essay.

"Is there a shop that sells dress robes," Harry asked, feeling a burn creep up his neck. "For Slughorn's party, I mean."

Hermione laughed lightly as she nodded her head in answer. "Yes, it's right next to -,"

"Are you two seriously doing homework on a Friday night," a voice interrupted. Harry and Hermione turned their heads to see Ron standing at the end of their table, his arms folded across his chest, staring at them with a look of hopelessness etched on his face.

"You two do know it is Friday, right," Ron asked, looking between Harry and Hermione.

"Yes, Ron, I was well aware of that fact," Hermione snapped, returning to her essay. "Just because you like to keep everything until the last minute doesn't mean we all do."

"I like to think my best work comes out at the last moment," Ron replied, sitting down next to Harry.

"I think you mean you're best work at copying comes out at the last moment," Hermione shot back.

Ron shrugged his shoulders as he said, "Well, yeah; don't you know that it takes a lot of work to copy everything you write down, Hermione. It's like turning in a volume of novels."

Hermione stopped writing and looked up at Ron. "I'm sorry, Ron, how selfish of me in that I don't even think about you copying my work and how much time and effort it takes you to do so."

"Well, as long as we are on the same page then," Ron replied back.

Before Hermione had time to reply, another voice interrupted them, saying, "Are you two having a lover's spat?"

Harry, Ron, and Hermione turned their heads in unison to see three other students standing at the end of their table just as Ron had done so moments earlier. The boy who spoke had bright blond hair that was slicked backwards over his head. The two other students standing behind him had their arms folded over their bulging chests, wearing frowns on their faces.

"Shove it, Malfoy," Ron muttered, his face turning red in the process. However, upon hearing the name 'Malfoy,' Harry remembered the argument he and Hermione had heard nights previously.

"Weaselbee, didn't your father ever teach you to respect your superiors? I would assume he did, judging by the fact that your father is such a low-life in the Ministry that only thing he will ever know is how to shine other people's shoes."

At this, Ron slammed his fists on the table and stood up abruptly, knocking his chair backwards. Harry stood up as well but he was holding Ron back from attacking Malfoy; he also noticed that the two students, who he presumed was Crabbe and Goyle, started cracking their knuckles menacingly.

Malfoy laughed as he said, "Yes, I think you would be a fine fit of a loser husband just like your father to whatever girl that is unfortunate to get stuck with you. You hear that, Granger?"

With another mocking laugh, the three Slytherin's strode away. Once out of sight, Harry let Ron go as Hermione was looking nervously over at him, afraid that Malfoy's words would get the better of him.

Her nervousness was well-founded as not even a moment later, Ron slugged his bag over his shoulder and stalked away from them without uttering another word.

As Harry sat back down, he looked over at Hermione and asked, "I take it that was Malfoy?"

Hermione, who was still staring after the already departed Ron, shook her head and said, "Yes, that was Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle."

"They didn't act like they had just had a fight, though," Harry inserted.

"Perhaps they made up or perhaps they rather not show their cracks are starting to show," Hermione answered.

"What do you mean by that?"

Hermione looked over at him and said, "Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle have bullied many people ever since our first year. Malfoy would always start antagonizing someone without any fear because Crabbe and Goyle would be there to back him up. However, it seems as if Malfoy's influence over them has waned and those two could soon rebel against Malfoy, deciding against the fact that they need him as part of their troupe."

"What is his problem anyway, having a go at Ron's dad like that?"

Hermione tucked a lone strand of hair behind her right ear as she shrugged her shoulders with a forlorn look on her face. "It's just what he does, Harry, even though he has no reason to do so. When you think about it, we are all flawed in one way or another. With Malfoy, that is just something he feels the need to do: assert his family's wealth and power over Ron. But trust me when I say that he's not much better with anyone else."

With a sad half-smile, Hermione returned to her parchment and started writing away. This one was thing that amazed Harry about Hermione: after an ugly confrontation like the one they just had, she could instill upon herself to complete her work. Harry couldn't even begin to understand what Ron must be feeling at the present time.

"Do you think Ron will be okay," Harry asked.

"Well, this isn't the first time Ron has been mocked by Malfoy nor will it be the last. But I think once he has time to cool down, he'll be fine. I just wish that Ron wasn't so touchy when it comes to money. I mean, looking at the Burrow, it's obviously not a mansion built on gold but it feels so cozy and comfortable that I couldn't even imagine spending my summers and some winters other than the Burrow, besides my parents' house of course."

"What's the Burrow?"

"Oh, that's right, um, it's the house where Ron's family lives. They call it the Burrow; it's just their house, is all."

As Hermione returned to her essay, Harry was trying to bide his time as to when to ask her to Slughorn's party. Once they had received their invitations, Harry was about to ask her when she noticed Ron had not been invited; that had put a damper on his plans.

But, seeing as the two were alone right now, Harry had half a mind to ask her right here and now. The only problem he was facing was a strong case of nerves. He didn't know what Hermione's answer would be and if he was to be honest with himself, he wasn't sure if he was more nervous about her saying 'yes' or 'no.'

If Hermione accepted his request, Harry would be elated at first but then he would have to make sure she enjoyed her evening. If she declined…well, Harry didn't quite like to think about that.

"Anyway, getting back to our earlier conversation, I think you would definitely need dress robes for the party; that is assuming you go," Hermione suddenly said.

"Are you not going," Harry asked, his heart beating faster than usual.

"I'm thinking about it but as of right now, probably not." At her words, Harry's heart sank like a stone in water.

"Why not?"

"Well, it just doesn't feel right to leave Ron out of the picture. He is our best friend after all and I don't feel comfortable knowing we are at a party and he's not. Also, I don't know if I fancy having Professor Slughorn shove all of his 'important contacts' in our faces. And lastly, I don't ever want to be near Professor Trelawney again."

Harry thought over Hermione's point and he definitely agreed he too wanted to avoid Trelawney and her never-ending spiel on the Grim. He then thought about not going at all but something inside of him was urging him attend the upcoming party.

"Well, I think I'm done," Hermione said, rolling up her parchment. Harry looked down at his and saw that he had only written one paragraph.

"Harry, how is it that you've written so little? We've been here nearly two hours," Hermione exclaimed, looking over at Harry's parchment.

"Well I got distracted," he replied, rolling up his unfinished essay and stuffing it in his bag. "I mean, tomorrow should be fun, right, learning how to apparate?"

"Oh yes, I cannot wait to practice," Hermione replied gleefully, clasping her hands together.

The two students then stood up and slung their bags over their shoulders. As Hermione continued to drone on about apparition, Harry's mind drifted back to the Christmas celebration. He couldn't quite shake the feeling that something inside of him was urging him to attend the upcoming get-together.

As he looked over at Hermione, he decided that if he asked her, she may reconsider her current state and actually attend the party after all. Neither of the two students noticed however, as they walked away from their once-occupied library table, that the lamp had flicked off on its own accord, plunging the space into darkness.

The following morning after breakfast, all of the sixth year students stayed behind in the Great Hall as their first apparition class was upon them.

Professor McGonagall stood at the front of the hall and said, "Now, before we being our lesson, I want to stress to each and every one of you to not take these classes lightly. It is a privilege to have a Ministry-certified wizard come to Hogwarts on a Saturday to give you these practice sessions. Now, I want each of you to stand up."

As the students did so, with a flick of McGonagall's wand, the four house tables instantly disappeared.

"I want you all to file into a single line according to house," Harry heard McGonagall instruct next.

As the students followed this next bout of orders, the double doors to the Great Hall squeaked open. Harry turned his head and saw a rather small man stride into the hall, his face wearing a warm smile.

Harry noted this man had a traveling cloak wrapped about his shoulders. He had frizzled grey hair which poked out in different directions, seeming as if he had just rolled out of bed. Walking in between the Gryffindors and Ravenclaws, he strode directly up to Professor McGonagall and shook her hand in welcome.

"Okay, everyone, I would like to introduce you to the man that will teach you how to learn to apparate, Professor Wilkie Twycross."

"Hello students," Twycross piped up, detaching himself from his traveling cloak, "And a good morning to you all! Now, before we begin, I would like to stress the fact that learning how to apparate is a process that takes a tremendous amount of patience along with fierce determination. I want you all to follow this simple yet sophisticated guideline to help you wrap your minds about successful apparition: destination, determination, and deliberation.

"For destination, I want each of you to picture yourself from standing outside of this hoop," Twycross said, waving his wand in the air and making a hoop appear in front of each student, "To appearing inside of it."

As Harry looked down at his hoop, he noticed how small the space inside it was. He tried to picture himself standing inside the ring but an image of the bulky Crabbe trying to fit his rather large feet inside the circle kept breaking Harry's concentration.

"Next, I want each of you to believe in yourself that you can successfully transfer your body within the hoop situated in front of you," Twycross squeaked out, stalking in front of the students.

"And finally, I want you all to be mindful of the fact that not one part of your body will be left behind when to apparate. Now, if you follow those three D's, as I like to call them, you should have no problem with apparition!"

Harry looked ahead and saw Hermione standing in front of him, her head bowed; he could tell from her body language that Hermione was repeating the three D's over and over in her head like a never-ending mantra. Harry took a chance to look over his shoulder and he saw Ron's face scrunched up in fierce concentration.

As Harry turned back around, Twycross said, "Okay, everyone, on the count of three, I want you all to first, think about your destination, second, believe in yourself that you are able to apparate, and third, be careful as to not leave any body parts behind. One…,"

Many of the students started looking around in adjunct horror that they were being asked to apparate so soon.

"Two…,"

Harry closed his eyes and thought about his destination inside the hoop situated in front of him. As he was thinking about his determination to do so…wait, he forgot what the third 'D' stood for.

"Three!" Harry felt a massive tug around his navel area suddenly, so much so, that Harry stumbled forwards a few feet. Looking around, he saw he was one of the few students that managed to stay upright: Hermione had fallen on her knees while Ron was lying flat on his back.

As other students started to pick themselves off of the rough stone floor, Twycross said, "The first time is always the hardest! I must confess that I did not expect any better. Okay, now, prepare yourselves mentally for we shall try again…"

For the next hour, Twycross kept drilling into the heads of the students his three D's yet to no avail for no one was able to successfully apparate into their respectful ring.

As Twycross wrapped his traveling cloak around his shoulders, he said, "Now, I want you all to keep reminding yourselves of the three D's as I shall be back in two weeks for another lesson!" With that, the four heads of house escorted the Ministry official out of the Great Hall, thus ending the sixth years' first apparation lesson.  
"That was a lot harder than I expected," Ron said, walking in line with Harry and Hermione. "But I'm pretty sure I moved at least a few inches on that last go around!"

"Well, all it takes is practice and I'm sure we'll all be able to do it soon enough," Hermione coached.

"So what do you all want to do for the rest of the day," Ron asked, looking over at the pair of them.

"I need to finish my Charms essay," Hermione retorted.

Harry saw Ron roll his eyes before he asked him, "Are you up for a one-on-one game of Quidditch before practice tonight?"

Harry turned to Ron and answered, "Actually, I have two essays to finish myself and you do too."

"Please don't ruin my Saturday by making me do my homework! I mean, we already had one lesson today which is unnatural to have on the weekend," Ron remarked.

"Well suit yourself, mate, but I rather get my essays done so I don't have to do it tomorrow."

"You know, Harry, I'm starting to think Hermione is having a bad influence on you lately. Everyone knows she is the only one that gets her work done early!"

Hermione looked over at Ron and scoffed, "At least I get my work done, Ronald, and don't have to rely on others to copy from!"

As the three walked towards Gryffindor Tower, with Ron and Hermione bickering, Ginny walked up towards the trio.

"So, how did your first lesson go," she asked looking at Harry in particular.

"As best as it could have gone considering it was our first lesson," he replied.

"What's up with those two," Ginny asked, looking over at Ron and Hermione who were still arguing, both oblivious to Ginny's presence.

"I'm guessing this is something that's the norm between the two of them," Harry replied. "They never quite seem to stop fighting with each other."

"Yeah, they always do that."

"But why? I normally don't fight with either Ron or Hermione like they argue with each other."

Ginny pulled Harry away from the two arguing students as she said, "Secretly, I think Ron fancies Hermione and Hermione fancies Ron but the two won't admit it to themselves and definitely not each other…well, at least not now."

Harry felt uneasy at Ginny's answer. Did Ron really fancy Hermione? Weeks ago, after Harry took Hermione for a night broomstick ride, Ron didn't quite tell him if he liked Hermione or not; according to Ron, it was a feeling that was left up in the air.

"But don't two people that like each other not fight as much because Ron and Hermione tend to argue nearly all the time," Harry replied.

Ginny shrugged her shoulders and said, "They fight because they're both trying to deny the feelings they have for one another, however deep those feelings are."

Harry wasn't quite sure this was the reason Ron and Hermione fought so often but since he was somewhat uncomfortable talking about it, he decided to not pursue it anymore.

"So, have you heard about Slughorn's upcoming party," Ginny remarked, looking up at Harry.

"What? Oh yeah, Hermione and I actually received our invitations a couple of days ago," Harry replied, looking back down at her.

"I think I heard Cormac say in the common room last night that you were allowed to bring a guest," Ginny asked.

"Yeah, that's right," Harry replied, wondering where Ginny was going with this.

"I think it would be perfect if Ron and Hermione went together," she said.

"Yes, I – wait what did you say?"

"I said I think that Hermione should invite Ron to go with her," Ginny repeated.

"Why do you think that?"

"Then they could spend the night working out their problems and finally revealing their feelings for one another," Ginny replied.

"That's if they have feelings for each other," Harry noted.

Ginny looked from Ron and Hermione up to Harry while she said, "Oh trust me, judging by how long I've known then, I'm pretty sure they do. I mean, it could be a wonderful evening for them."

"That's if they don't find something to fight about," Harry replied dryly, not comfortable with the fact of Ron and Hermione attending Slughorn's party together.

"A lot of people are talking about how fun the party will be," Ginny said, looking away from Harry and out of a nearby window, "But I guess I'll never know; I mean with no invite or anything."

She sighed heavily as Harry started to understand her pairing Ron and Hermione together while hinting that Harry should ask her to the party.

"Well, you never know, someone could invite you when you least expect it," Harry said, giving her a tight smile.

As she shrugged her shoulders, Ron and Hermione walked over to them as Ron asked, "So what are you two talking about?"

"Nothing, really; well I should leave. I'm supposed to meet Luna today, I'll see you guys later," Ginny said as she walked away from the trio.

Harry watched her go with an inkling of wariness: just how hard would Ginny push for Ron and Hermione to attend the Christmas party together? And if that did happen, would Ginny expect Harry to ask her?

As these uncomfortable thoughts wrestled in Harry's mind, the following week passed by quickly.

Soon, the Saturday morning of their Hogsmeade trip was upon them. As Harry pushed his way off of his mattress and looked outside his dormitory window, he saw snow was falling from the cloudy, wintry sky.

He noted the soft snores coming from behind the scarlet drapes of Ron's four-poster bed as Harry got ready for the Saturday ahead.

Walking down the steps into the Gryffindor common room, Harry saw Hermione was already up, reading her Charms textbook.

"Good morning, Hermione," Harry said.

She looked up at him, smiled warmly, and said, "Good morning, Harry. How did you sleep?"

"Fine, just like any other night really," he replied.

"That's good," Hermione said, her eyes turning back towards her book.

Harry wondered if this was a practical moment to ask Hermione to the party or not. As he rather not ask Ginny to the ball, all Harry had to do was muster up the courage he needed to ask Hermione to go with him, as friends of course.

For unexplained reasons, ever since Harry had woken up in the hospital ward near the beginning of the term, he had felt extremely comfortable with Hermione. He had reasoned with himself that it was probably due to the fact that Hermione was the one who had explained everything to Harry and it seemed like she knew him better than anyone.

As he got to know Hermione more and more, he realized not only was she extremely intelligent but she was also caring and believes in him as the war outside the castle walls loom ever closer.

As Harry was starting to gather up his remaining pieces of bravery to ask Hermione to the Christmas ball, a voice called out, "I'm starving! Let's grab some breakfast."

Startling both Harry and Hermione, Ron had made his way down the stairs without making a sound.

"Yeah, I could go for some food before we head out," Hermione added, standing to her feet.

Feeling quite annoyed, Harry obliged by getting to his feet as well as the three students headed away from the Gryffindor common room and down to the Great Hall.

After finishing their food, Harry, Ron, and Hermione got up and headed for the entrance hall where they put on gloves and scarves as the snow outside had started to fall in heavier amounts.

"Hey you guys," a voice called out from behind them. The three turned around and saw Ginny making their ways towards them, wearing a heavy jacket and gloves.

"Were you about to head into Hogsmeade," she asked.

"Yes, we were though I don't remember inviting you," Ron said.

Ginny threw him a disgusted look as Hermione, after glaring at Ron, said, "Don't listen to him, Ginny, you can come along too."

She smiled at Hermione after giving her brother a rather cold look.

Once they had dressed themselves up for the frigid air outside, the four students headed out of the castle and into the snow waiting outside.

Many students that had decided to venture out to Hogsmeade that day had their heads bent against the blowing wind and the falling snow. With every step the foursome took, the air around them seemed to plummet to colder and colder levels.

As they walked upon the village, a smile worked its way across Harry's face. Before him was quaint setting, as two-story buildings lined a wide lane. Large windows were placed in front of each bustling store, allowing shoppers to take a quick peek inside.

As the season was nearing Christmas, about half a dozen trees also lined the street, placed between neighboring stores. The trees were decorated lavishly, boasting twinkling, multi-colored lights that adorned the branches with a single candle placed directly on top.

Holly and garland decorated with yellow lights were placed on the outside frame of each door along with outlining the windows each store had. The whole atmosphere of the picturesque village was festive and good-natured.

Harry felt a tug on his arm and he soon found himself inside a shop that housed all sorts of dresses and robes for both witches and wizards.

Harry saw Hermione and asked, "Hermione, where are we?"

"This, Harry, is Madam Tydfil's Dress Shop for Ladies and Gentlemen; I think it is the only store that sells dress robes in all of Hogsmeade. But since Ron has been bad-tempered about this whole not-getting-invited ordeal, I think it is best if I go with him to Honeydukes while you and Ginny can shop in here. Afterwards, we'll all meet in the Three Broomsticks for some butterbeer."

Before Harry could protest, Hermione opened the door of the shop and disappeared in a wisp of the blowing snow.

As the bell to the shop jangled loudly, Harry turned and saw Ginny had already started sorting through the long racks of the witches dress robes.

Smiling slightly, Harry headed off towards the sections of the wizards dress robes and started looking through them.

After nearly ten minutes, Harry had settled on the fact that the wizards dress robes all looked similar to one another; the only thing that differentiated one from another was the color. However, Harry had noticed the selection for the dress robes for witches was quite variable.

"Oh, Harry, doesn't this look fantastic," Ginny asked. Harry turned his head and saw Ginny holding up a dark blue dress up to her neck, a wide smile on her face.

"Um, yeah, it's looks great," Harry said.

Ginny rolled eyes and said sarcastically, "Oh, you're such a boy!"

As Harry turned back to go through the rack's selection, he picked out a style he thought suited him well.

Walking about to the counter, Harry noticed Ginny was beside him empty-handed. Looking down at her, he asked, "Didn't you like the blue dress you asked me about?"

"Of course, it was dazzling," she replied.

"Then why don't you get it?"

Ginny had turned scarlet as the color of her face had matched the color of her hair. "Um, I-I don't have any money for it," she said quietly, looking down at the floor.

Sensing her honesty, Harry said, "You can go get it and I'll pay for it."

Ginny looked up at him with wide eyes as she said, "No, Harry, I can't let you do that! It's far too much money!"

"Ginny, trust me, it's no bother. You can go and get it."

Ginny seemed as if she had a battle raging on in her head, trying to decide whether to listen to her head or to her heart.

A smile crept up on her face as she walked forward and wrapped her arms around Harry in a tight embrace.

"Thank you so much, Harry! I don't know how to ever repay you," she said.

Harry, feeling rather awkward, decided to wrap his arms around Ginny in an embrace. "Don't worry about it," he replied.

Before Ginny ran off to pick out the blue dress, she gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. Frozen momentarily, Harry gave his head a slight shake as he walked up to the counter.

"That was a nice thing you did for your girlfriend right there," the store owner said.

"Oh she's not my girlfriend," he replied back.

"Maybe not yet but if I'm to be honest with you, I don't know many friends that buy dresses for other friends of the opposite sex," she said, stressing the word 'friends.'

"Um, I'm not interested in her that way," Harry said, placing his dress robes on the counter.

"Only if you keep telling yourself that will you believe it. But if you ask me, I don't know if I saw a more perfect couple than you and the young lady that came in with you."

Ginny made her way back as she placed her blue dress on the counter with glee. The whole time the owner rang up their two items, Ginny could not seem to be rid of her happiness.

As Harry and Ginny each grabbed their respective bags, the owner said, "Now, I wish you two a very merry Christmas indeed." Harry noticed the owner give him a quick wink as she said this.

"The same to you madam," Ginny said, picking up her bag and walking away from the counter.

As the pair made their way outside the shop, Ginny turned to Harry and said, "Thank you so much, Harry, once again! This means a lot to me."

"It's no problem," Harry replied, giving her a half smile. "Now I think we're supposed to meet Ron and Hermione in the Three Broomsticks."

"That's right, it's right up here, actually," Ginny said, motioning for Harry to follow her. As Harry did so, he noticed two figures walking in front of them. Unable to hear them clearly over the roaring wind and falling snow, it sounded as if the two were arguing.

Harry and Ginny followed the arguing pair into the Three Broomsticks. Looking around, Harry spotted Ron and Hermione at a table next to a window.

"Over there," Harry said, nodding his head at the table in which four butterbeers were resting upon.

Once they wound their way through the crowded pub, Ginny said, "Look what Harry got me at Madam Tydfil's Dress Shop!" She reached into her bag and pulled out her blue gown and held it up to her neck for Ron and Hermione to see.

"Wow, it's so pretty," Hermione commented while Ron looked at the dress with his mouth hanging open.

"You bough that for Ginny," Ron asked, looking over at Harry with shock.

Harry shrugged his shoulders as he nodded his head. As Harry and Ginny placed their bags on the floor, the table which the four friends were sitting at exploded instantly.

As screams and wood splinters pierced the air, Harry took out his wand and looked around. A rush of people was headed for the exit, trying to get out of harm's way.

Another explosion blasted away the door to the men's lavatory. One figure dressed all in black stepped out from the smoldering ruins while Harry could barely see another crouched on the floor behind him.

As the figure raised its wand, he shot a jet of red light at the four students.

" _PROTEGO_ ," Harry shouted, successfully deflecting the curse.

" _EXPELLIARMUS_ ," Hermione shouted, but the figure moved behind a column, blocking him from view.

Ron was kneeling down with his hands over his hand while Harry, Hermione, and Ginny all had their wands pointed at their attacker. Harry then noticed blood was seeping from between Ron's fingers.

The figure pointed his wand out from behind the column and shouted, " _AVADA KEDAVRA_!" A jet of green light was searing towards Hermione. Instinctively, Harry tackled Hermione to the ground and out of harm's way as he vaguely heard Ginny fire off a curse of her own.

"Are you okay," Harry asked, as he lay on top of Hermione.

"I'm fine, Harry," she replied. "But we need to get out of here."

Harry stood up and yelled, " _BOMBARDA MAXIMA_!" The column the figure was standing behind was blasted apart, sending the figure flying into a back wall.

A sickening thud was heard as Harry turned to Ron.

"Ron, are you okay," he asked urgently, noticing a pool of blood on the floor of the pub.

Ron looked ghostly pale as he clutched on to Harry's jacket, mumbling incoherently.

Hermione and Ginny ran over to their attacker. Turning over the limp body, the two students saw a pair of glazed-over eyes on a familiar face.

"That's, that's Goyle," Hermione said, looking stricken at the fact a fellow student had attacked them.

Harry, who had wrapped one of Ron's arms around his shoulders, stalked towards the entrance of the men's bathroom and saw Malfoy; he was crouched over against the far wall, his bottom lip quivering uncontrollably.

In the next instant, a series of _POP's_ were heard in which Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny were then surrounded by Professors Dumbledore, McGonagall, and Snape.

Quickly assessing the scene with his eyes, Dumbledore said, "I need all of you in my office immediately."


	23. Slughorn's Party, Part 1

Harry Potter and a Marauder Revival

Author's Note: Hello all! I hope you enjoyed Chapter 23 of "Harry Potter and a Marauder Revival" and Chapter 24 is a work-in-progress and will be posted **FRIDAY NIGHT!** Let me know what you all thought with a short (or long) review (if you'd like). I know many of you have paired off who's going with who to Slughorn's Christmas bash…read on to find out if your predictions were correct!

Chapter 23: Slughorn's Party Part 1

Professor Dumbledore grabbed a nearby glass plate that was still intact. Pointing his wand at the object, Dumbledore uttered, " _PORTUS_." The plate glowed a light blue for a few seconds before returning to normal.

As Harry looked puzzled by what had just happened, Hermione's voice broke his reverie by asking, "But sir, isn't it illegal to create a portkey without the Ministry of Magic's approval?"

"You are quite right, Miss Granger, but time is of the essence for three students involved," Professor Dumbledore answered, "And, the Ministry is unable to detect any portkey's made unless they lay their own eyes upon it. Now, quickly Harry, Miss Granger, and Miss Weasley, Professor McGonagall will accompany you all to my office."

As the three students stepped forward, Dumbledore turned to the Transfiguration professor and said, "Minerva, please take these three students to my office and wait with them until I return. Severus and I will take Mr. Weasley, Mr. Malfoy, and Mr. Goyle to the hospital wing."

"Yes, of course," McGonagall replied, gesturing for the three students to crowd around the plate. "I want you all to touch some object of this plate…just a finger will do," she said.

Harry knelt down yet was still puzzled by what was taking place. Doing as he was told, he placed a finger on the plate as it started to glow blue. Turning his head, Harry took a last look at Ron who was lying on the floor, being attended to by Dumbledore.

Suddenly, Harry felt a jerk upward around his navel as his finger was now glued to the plate. In a matter of seconds, the setting of the Three Broomsticks disappeared and materialized into Dumbledore's office.

The three students fell onto the rough stone floor as McGonagall bent over and asked, "Are you three alright?"

Harry nodded while he heard Hermione and Ginny murmur in agreement. McGonagall waved her wand and made three cushion-clad armchairs appear for the three students to sit in.

"Professor, what just happened," Harry asked, looking at McGonagall who was standing beside the headmaster's desk.

"What happened, Mr. Potter, is that we used a portkey to travel from Hogesmade into Hogwarts castle," the Transfiguration professor explained patiently.

"And what's a portkey?"

This time, it was Hermione who answered as she said, "A portkey is an enchanted object that brings any witch or wizard to a specified location."

As Harry nodded his head in understanding, Ginny spoke up as she asked, "Do you think Ron will be okay, professor?"

Harry looked over at Ginny who had gone ghostly pale. "I am not sure, Miss Weasley, as I do not know the extent of his injuries but I what I am sure of is that Madam Pomfrey is a very able-bodied witch that can fix the nastiest of injuries so do not fret," McGonagall said as she warmly placed a hand on Ginny's shoulder.

Silence ensued between the occupants inside the headmaster's office. Occasionally, soft snow pellets could be heard slightly plopping against the large window behind Dumbledore's desk or the flickering of a flame frolicked in its grate.

After what seemed like hours, the door of the office opened and in strode Professors Dumbledore and Snape.

The three students stood in anticipation, waiting for any news on their best friend and brother.

"How is he, professor," Ginny asked, her hands clasped together in front of her as if she was praying.

"Mr. Ronald Weasley will make a full recovery, but he needs his rest; I would suggest you all visit him tomorrow morning to give him some much needed relaxation," Dumbledore replied, looking around at all three students, his blue eyes radiating warmth.

Harry let out a sigh of relief upon hearing that his best friend was going to be okay. Unexpectedly, Ginny wrapped her arms around Harry.

"Oh thank goodness he's going to be alright," she said into Harry's jacket. "Thank you so much, Harry." And for the second time that day, Ginny gave him a kiss on the cheek though Harry noticed this kiss was slightly closer to his mouth than her previous. Harry looked past Ginny at Hermione who was smiling though her smile did not reach her eyes.

"And what of Mr. Malfoy and Mr. Goyle," Professor McGonagall asked.

"Mr. Malfoy is uninjured however, he is in a state of shock. Poppy has given him a Calming Draught in which all we can do is hope he will not walk away in fear of what has transpired today. Mr. Goyle, on the other hand, is not dead but he is seriously injured. I will attend to him after we hear from Mr. Potter, Miss Granger, and Miss Weasley."

At this, Dumbledore turned around to face the three young students. "If you could all take a seat, I ask that you three please recount to us the events that took place in Hogsmeade village today."

The three students sat down in their chairs Professor McGonagall had conjured for them earlier as Harry started.

"Ginny and I went into Madam Tydfil's Dress Shop for Ladies and Gentlemen to buy dress robes while Ron and Hermione went to Honeydukes; after, the four of us were to meet in the Three Broomsticks.

"Some time later when we were in the pub, our table was blasted apart. We looked around and saw someone with a wand pointed in our direction. After a few curses were flung back and forth, I blasted apart a column our attacker was standing behind and he flew into a wall before I went to check on Ron."

Hermione interjected as she said, "That's when Ginny and I ran over to see that it was Goyle who had attacked us. We ran over to the men's bathroom, which is where Goyle came out of, and saw Malfoy in there, looking…looking surprised at what had just happened."

When Hermione finished, Professor Dumbledore was staring at her, his eyes unblinking. Harry had a subtle feeling he was x-raying her yet Hermione, surprising Harry, stared back.

After another few moments of silence, Dumbledore nodded his head and said, "Very well; I think it would be best for the three of you to head back to Gryffindor Tower and try to get some rest."

With their dismissal, the three students stood to their feet and headed out of the headmaster's office. The three of them didn't speak to each other as there wasn't much to say after the events that had occurred that day.

Harry's mind was racing wildly so much so that he was unable to put forth two coherent thoughts with one another. However, there was one thing that was strange about the Hogsmeade surprise: the events did not add up.

Entering into the Gryffindor common room, Ginny turned to Harry and Hermione and said, "I think I'm going to head up for a bit of a lie down. I feel very tired." Smiling at Harry, she turned and walked up the staircase and into her dormitory.

Hearing a door close in one of the upstairs landings, Harry turned to Hermione and asked, "So what do you think, Hermione?"

She turned to him with a questioning look in her eyes as she asked back, "What do I think about what, Harry?"

"Well, why do you think Goyle would attack us? I don't ever remember giving him a reason to do so, unless you think there was no motive for the attack?"

"Oh no, there was no motive for sure as Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle have seen us in Hogsmeade before yet they did not attack us then. I just wonder if Goyle may have been placed under the Imperius Curse; that would answer a lot of questions," Hermione responded.

"Do you think Malfoy could have done it?"

"I think he could have but I don't think he did so."

"And why is that," Harry asked.

"Because, Harry, don't you remember the state we found Malfoy in? He was trembling and shaking," Hermione said, "If he put Goyle under the curse, I'm sure Malfoy wouldn't have been like that."

"He could've been acting for all we know," Harry suggested.

"Even Malfoy isn't that good of an actor; no, I think it was something else."

As the snow-ridden day wore on, news of the Hogsmeade attack spread like wildfire on a windy afternoon. To escape the bombardment of questions they would surely receive, Harry and Hermione departed from the common room.

Wandering the deserted corridors with no final destination in mind, Harry thought about asking Hermione to the Christmas ball.

Giving himself a slight pep talk of sorts, Harry started to build himself up in confidence to pop the question to Hermione.

Looking over at her, Harry registered the fact that Hermione was lost in her own thoughts at the present moment. He, too thought of everything that happened that day and realized innocence is not lost on youth yet youth is far lost on innocence.

Negating any fact of him trying to will himself to ask Hermione was the overbearing fact that Ron was still hospitalized; was this truly the right moment to ask someone to a Christmas party when your best friend was too ill to partake?

Harry wondered how lost would one have to be to travel down roads long forgotten, yet these lesser trails bore fruit of bravery and loyalty.

Rambling about in the roaring hush of the ancient castle walls, Harry and Hermione soon found themselves in front of the hospital wing doors.

Looking over to Harry, Hermione smiled and said, "It seems as if fate would have it that we be with Ronald tonight, I take it?"

"It seems that way, doesn't it," Harry remarked, smirking back at Hermione and pushing the double doors open.

Walking into the ward, the first thing Harry and Hermione noticed was the only one bed was occupied. Walking over to Ron, Harry, looking around, asked, "Ron, where are Malfoy and Goyle?"

"Hey, Harry, Hermione! I didn't see you come up," Ron replied, smiling at his two best friends. "Um, I'm not exactly sure where they are; I passed out after I came here and I just woke up about, maybe ten minutes ago."

Harry looked around and made sure they were the only three in the hospital wing. "Isn't it strange that Malfoy and Goyle aren't here? I mean, where could they have possibly have gone?"

Before Hermione had time to respond, a voice behind them called out, "My word, what is the meaning of this?" Harry and Hermione turned their heads to see a rather flustered Madam Pomfrey bustling towards them. "Can't you understand that Mr. Weasley needs his rest?"

"It's okay, I feel a lot better now," Ron replied, looking up at the hospital matron. "And I think seeing my best friends has brightened up my mood quite a bit," he added with a smile.

Before Madam Pomfrey could respond, Harry asked, "Where are Malfoy and Goyle?"

The matron's face morphed into despair in an instant. In a quiet voice, she responded, "I'm afraid Mr. Goyle has been transferred to St. Mungo's after his condition worsened throughout the course of the day."

Hermione looked from Harry and Ron and back to Madam Pomfrey. "Do you think they'll be able to cure his head trauma?"

At this question, Madam Pomfrey looked at Hermione as if she were speaking troll. "What on earth are you talking about, Miss Granger; Mr. Goyle did not have any blunt-force trauma to his head."

This shocked Harry as he looked curiously over at Hermione. She too seemed lost in a daze at the matron's words.

"But that has to be it; I sent a blasting curse his way and we heard his head hit the far wall," Harry recounted. "If he didn't have any head trauma, why did he come here then?"

"Mr. Goyle had a couple deep gashes in his abdomen. He had already lost a lot of blood by the time he was transferred here. I gave him blood-replenishing potion however it seems as if his body has been affected by a multitude of dark curses. There would be no safe way the blood-replenishing potion could have worked after his body had gone through cursed bodily harm."

As Harry, Ron, and Hermione got lost in their own thoughts, Madam Pomfrey waved her wand and sent a light, blue vapor mist out of the still-open double doors of the wing. Just moments later, Professors Dumbledore, McGonagall, and Snape arrived in the ward with curious expressions plastered onto their faces.

"Headmaster, I believe Mr. Potter has some rather noteworthy news to share with you all concerning Mr. Goyle," Madam Pomfrey said, looking over at Harry.

Harry swallowed loudly and said, "Well, earlier today, I blasted away a column where Goyle was standing behind and we saw him fly into a wall and heard his head smack against it. However, Madam Pomfrey has just told us that Goyle had gashes in his abdomen which doesn't really piece together what happened today in Hogsmeade."

As Dumbledore himself now looked lost in thought, Ron spoke up by saying, "You know, we never expected Crabbe; he could be behind this whole thing."

"That is impossible, Mr. Weasley, as Crabbe was serving detention with me this afternoon," Snape nearly spat out, his face venomous.

Hermione gave Ron a cold glare before issuing, "Well, why can't we place Malofy under the truth serum and ask him what happened as this matter could soon turn into a match of life and death?"

"A wise choice, no doubt, Miss Granger, however there are three flaws with that argument: first, it is against the law to place a student under Veritaserum without parental and Ministry consent. Second, Veritaserum would negate the Calming Draught Mr. Malfoy received earlier – if we were to give him the truth serum, no one would know what kind of state he would be in after the events of today. And lastly, Mr. Malfoy is not here at the present time."

"He's not here," Hermione asked in confirmation.

"No, Miss Granger, he is not. Young Mr. Malfoy has been taken away by his parents until they deem fit to see him return to the castle."

At Dumbledore's words, Harry was sure they had hit a dead end. Sitting down at the end of Ron's bed, he looked over at Hermione who seemed to be lost in her own thoughts.

"I understand the need you three have to try and solve every case as they come about but the best thing you can all do now is to try and keep your main focus on your studies. As more factual evidence comes along, you three will be the first to know."

At these words, Professors Dumbledore, McGonagall, and Snape departed from the ward as Madam Pomfrey went back into her office, leaving a stunned trio behind.

"Well, that could've gone loads better," Ron grumbled. "We'll be the first to know as more 'factual evidence' comes along? What is he playing at?"

"Ron, what else could he say? The most important duty of any headmaster is to ensure the safety of the school's students. After today, Goyle was injured by some unknown factor while on a weekend trip to Hogsmeade. Professor Dumbledore knows how we act in times like these…he's seen it before," Hermione said.

"Have we ever been caught up in mysteries like this," Harry asked at random.

Hermione looked at him and nodded her head, saying, "The first time we were wrapped up in a 'case' for lack of a better term, was first year with the Philosopher's Stone."

"What's that," Harry asked.

"It was a stone Voldemort – oh, control yourself, Ronald – tried to steal; it was hidden in this castle, guarded by many obstacles the professors had set up to safeguard it. It was supposed to give one immortality along with the Elixir of Life," Hermione responded.

"What happened to it," Harry asked.

"It was destroyed; Professor Dumbledore couldn't risk the fact that the stone might fall into the hands of Voldemort again, so he destroyed it. Although…,"

Harry looked over at Ron curiously wondering why Hermione had suddenly stopped mid-sentence; Ron shrugged his shoulders in reply.

"There is still something about this whole situation that doesn't make any sense."

"And what's that," Ron asked.

"I remember after Ginny and I found out it was Goyle that had been throwing curses at us. After, we checked in the men's lavatory and saw Malfoy there but Malfoy never made eye contact with either of us; instead, his eyes were transfixed on one of the stalls in the bathroom."

"Why didn't you say anything about this before," Harry asked curiously.

"Because I only remembered it now," Hermione replied, looking out one of the windows. "But Malfoy had a look of terror on his face."

After a few quiet moments, Ron asked, "So what does this mean?"

Hermione turned to look at him as she said, "This means that the culprit was in the bathroom the entire time and we didn't even know it. After Professor Dumbledore came and gave us a portkey to come back to his office, the offender must've then apparated away."

"But why would he or she apparate away after Dumbledore came and not before," Harry asked, rising up from Ron's bed to stand in front of Hermione.

"Because, he or she probably didn't think Professor Dumbledore would come so soon meaning that his or her plan did not carry out properly."

Harry diverted his eyes away to behind Hermione, thinking about this new piece of insight. As Harry's thoughts became scattered, Ron asked, "I've been meaning to ask you, Harry, why did you buy Ginny a dress?"

"What? Oh, I mean, s-she really liked it so I thought it would be good if she could have it," he responded, his mind still lingering on their attacker.

"You know she's probably going to make you go with her to the Christmas ball, or something," Ron replied.

This caught Harry's attention as he turned around and asked, "What do you mean?"

Ron smiled as he said, "That's all she ever talks about when she writes home know, is Slughorn's ball. So mum wrote to me and asked me about it to which I responded by saying I didn't know much as I never got an invite. Anyway, mum thinks it would be perfect if the two of you went together."

"I don't even know if I'm going, actually," Harry said, more harshly than he intended, turning away from Ron.

"Well you'd better make up on your mind mate since Ginny has been practically professing her undying love for you in her letters home," Ron said.

At this, Hermione stepped in and said, "Harry, I think it would be wonderful if you'd take Ginny to Professor Slughorn's Christmas party. Seeing the way she acts around you, I think you would really make her day."

Harry had an inkling to ask Hermione there and now about taking her to the party but after looking back at Ron, the only thing that came out of his mouth was, "Would it be alright with you if I asked her?"

"Of course it will! I mean, you guys are just friends…right?"

Harry merely nodded his head, feeling defeated in a match he had not ever entered. A thought suddenly occurring to him, Harry looked up at Hermione and asked, "Wait a minute, Hermione, who are you going with?"

At his question, Hermione's cheeks flared pink as she said, "Well, I've been thinking since you are taking Ginny, I would take Ron?"

Harry looked over at Ron who had his eyes bulging out of its sockets. Turning his head to look at her, he asked, "A-are you serious?"

Hermione nodded her head, slightly uncertain of herself . Ron, seeing her reaction, had a huge smile break out across his face.

Now even feeling more defeated than before, all Harry could do was to put on a brave face and smile over at Ron and Hermione and pretend to be happy about the arrangements that had been set against his will.

The mood of the castle the following day was one of excitement and festivity. The news of the Hogsmeade attack had spread from house to house with wild interpretations added on each time Harry, Ron, Hermione, or Ginny heard it.

However, amidst of all of the rambunctious story-telling, Christmas was in the air. As the air plummeted to colder and colder levels outside the castle, holiday cheer was running rampant inside.

Twelve great Christmas trees now stood behind the professor's table at one end of the Great Hall. Each gigantic tree towered up to the windows of the hall, with each branch being colored in a different colored light; garland and tinsel had been strung across the tree's many limbs with its top coated in a glowing angel.

Along the corridors of the castle, red and green banners had been strung about as wreaths decorated in red bows were conjured onto each door of the citadel. Mistletoe and holly had seeped into the nooks and crannies of the ancient castle as many students tried to side-step the ordeal of finding themselves under the kissing plant with whom they didn't even want to be seen with.

On the night of the ball, Harry and Ron were fidgeting with their bows that were currently tied around their necks; Harry felt as if he was being strangled by his. Harry had on a simple black dress robe while his hair continued to be untamable. Ron had on dark red dress robes with uncombed hair and mismatched dress shoes.

"Bloody hell, why do I always have to look so original," Ron complained as he looked at himself in the mirror.

"What do you mean by that," Harry asked, straitening his bow tie.

"I mean, why can't I look all simple and plain like you? Instead, I look like a troll with spattergroit," Ron remarked, giving himself a disgusted look.

Not knowing the words to say to make Ron feel any better, Harry said, "Let's just go downstairs, shall we? I don't think there is anything else we can do."

As the two boys trudged downstairs, they noticed that the common room was completely empty and that there currently was a nasty blizzard taking place in the darkness outside.

Ron walked over to a mirror and looked at himself in its reflection, patting his hair occasionally and murmuring incoherent remarks, though Harry could have sworn he heard 'troll' and 'four-eyed gargoyle' being thrown about.

Harry, in his nervousness, started pacing the room. Yet, he didn't know if he was nervous about taking Ginny to Slughorn's party or that he wasn't taking Hermione to Slughorn's party; no matter which way he spun it, his nerves were threatening to bubble onto his surface.

Suddenly, a gentle cough was heard as both he and Ron looked toward the staircase to see Hermione walking down. She had on a stunning red dress, her hair done in a simple yet elegant braid; she wore diamond-encrusted earrings and a simple necklace along with red lipstick.

Harry was awed by her appearance so much so that he was lost for words and incapable of any speech.

Ron walked over to her open-mouthed and with an ogling-like expression on his face. "You look – uh, g-great," he stuttered.

"Thanks," Hermione said, smiling up at him.

"Where did get those earrings," Ron asked.

"Oh, my dad got them for me on my birthday; I didn't have an occasion to where them to so I'd thought tonight would be the perfect night for it," she replied.

"W-well they look great on you," Ron remarked.

After this polite exchange, Hermione looked over at Harry who seemed frozen in time. "Harry…are you alright?"

"What? Oh, yeah I'm f-fine; just a little nervous," he replied, smiling at her.

"Oh you don't have to be. Plus, Ginny looks great, she should be down any moment," Hermione said as she took Ron's arm. "See you at the party, Harry!"

With that, Ron and Hermione stepped out of the portrait hole, leaving Harry alone by the fire in the grate.

Harry felt as if the breath in his lungs had been rushed out of him after seeing Hermione walk down the stairs of Gryffindor Tower. Breathtaking would be one word to describe her unique ability to look beautiful yet simple.

As Harry closed his eyes, trying to commemorate Hermione in his mind, a soft voice behind him called out his name.

Turning around, he saw Ginny walk down the stairs in the blue dress he had bought for her in Hogsmeade. She too looked beautiful, as she wore her bright red hair in a half-bun while letting the rest of her, now curly, locks cascade down her back. She also wore a simple pearl necklace and had on pink lipstick.

"Wow, you look great," Harry remarked, walking over to her.

"Thank you; you look dashing yourself," Ginny said, "Well, everything except your hair; does nothing work to keep it down?"

"Nothing that I've found out about yet but at least my hair is short," he replied, holding out his arm for Ginny to take.

"Well, maybe we'll find a remedy for that…or maybe not; I consider it a plus either way you look at it," she replied slyly, taking his arm.

Harry smiled nervously and guided her out of the common room. Walking along a long corridor, Harry could not shake the feeling that having Ginny on his arm felt as if he was escorting a younger sister to a dance.

He had no idea where these feelings came from as he really could not think of a time where he thought of Ginny as a younger sister; perhaps it was before he lost his memory?

Laughter and soft-strung instrumental music could be heard around a corner. Ginny took hold of Harry's hand in which he shot her a curious stare.

"I just want everyone to know how happy I am you asked me to come with you," Ginny said, looking at Harry in his green eyes. "And I'm also happy that I accepted your offer; it's just that I've never been to anything like this before. I've never felt so pretty or so beautiful before."

"Well, I think it's important to remember that beauty isn't everything," Harry said.

"I find that hard to believe; we see with our eyes first, Harry, not with our hearts," Ginny said.

"Yes, I think that's true but being beautiful is not everything anyone should live by. There are more important things than looks."

"Maybe from a female's perspective but from a male's…I don't know if that's true at all."

"Well you have to believe that some males are like that since I just told you," Harry said.

"Perhaps…let's get to the party, shall we," Ginny asked, tugging Harry along.

As the wall space seemed to grow shorter and shorter leading up to the entrance of the party, Harry noticed red and green orbs hanging near the ceiling with small candles inside each one had cast this shade of the hallway into a red/green glow which reflected magnificently off of nearby windows.

Harry and Ginny stepped inside a pink laced curtain when she gasped in awe. "Oh, it's so beautiful!"

Harry looked around Slughorn's transformed office space and had to agree with Ginny. The whole space had been beautifully altered; a few dozen round tables had been set up, topped in a pure white tablecloth with purple and lime green flower petals scattered about.

Along one wall, at least seven different tables had been set up, littered with any type of food and drink imaginable. One section had an unmanned orchestra playing altruistic sounds that blended harmoniously together.

All of these sections were situated around a glowing dance floor, its sleekness and valor was almost was if one was walking on untainted glass. To top it all off, a colossal chandelier hung from the ceiling, its glass reflecting off of different light sources so that it seemed as if diamonds had been thrown about.

"It's really impressive," Harry said though he felt as if he had seen something like this before. He could not remember where…all that he could retain was this whole charade was familiar to him.

"Let's go find Ron and Hermione," Ginny said, taking Harry's hand and skirting him between party-goers. They found them soon at one of the round tables, eating away at their dinner that had gathered.

Harry noticed Hermione had a simple steak along with a side of vegetables and soup on her plate while Ron looked as if he had scoured one entire table for himself.

"You guys should go and get some food, it's delicious," Hermione said, taking a sip out of her goblet.

Harry and Ginny got in line, waiting for their turn to partake in the food offerings. Something about this felt too familiar to Harry; it was almost as if he was about to watch a film of himself. As his thoughts began to scatter, little did he know hearts would be broke on this snowy night.

 **TO BE CONTINUED…**


	24. Slughorn's Party, Part 2

Harry Potter and a Marauder Revival

Author's Note: Hello everyone! I hope you all enjoyed the latest installment of "Harry Potter and a Marauder Revival!" Chapter 25 is a work-in-progress and will be posted **NEXT FRIDAY!** I know it's another long wait but final exam week is here. If you wish, let me know what you all thought of this chapter with a short review. Happy reading!

Chapter 24: Slughorn's Party, Part 2

Harry eyed the piles and piles of food on the table in front of him and Ginny; there was food Harry had never seen before as he didn't know what half of the provisions even were. Harry looked over at Ginny who already had two plates of food stacked with all sorts of breads, meats, and pastries.

Looking over at Harry's scarce plate, Ginny smiled and said, "Harry is that all you're going to eat? It's no wonder you're so skinny."

Harry chose not to reply as he picked out a searing red steak and placed it upon his plate followed by two rolls of delicate bread and a glass of pumpkin juice. Following Ginny back to the round table occupied by Ron and Hermione, Harry took a seat in between Hermione and Ginny.

"Oh this is fantastic," Ginny murmured, her mouth full of soft, mouth-watering bread. "I've never tasted anything better!"

"What about mum's cooking," Ron asked, eyeing his sister.

"Well, mum's cooking is good and all but I've never tasted anything so rich before, especially as something as plain as bread," she replied.

"Harry are you not hungry? You didn't seem to get very much," Hermione commented, looking over at his plate.

"Um, well, I ate a big lunch," Harry said, not entirely sure why he felt the need to fib. Hermione looked over at him and Harry felt as if she could see directly through his little lie but after another moment, she let the subject drop.

"So what else is there to do here," Ron suddenly asked, standing to his feet.

"Ron, what do you think you're doing? Sit down, Harry and Ginny have not finished eating yet," Hermione scolded, tugging on Ron's flimsy dress robes for him to take back his seat.

Ron looked down at Harry and Ginny's plates before he mumbled grumpily and sat back down, resting his head on his fist; he and Harry took sips out of their goblets.

"Anyway, to answer your question, there's definitely going to be some dancing," Hermione commented, looking longingly out at the dance floor.

At her words, both Harry and Ron spit out their pumpkin juice, both perturbed by her sudden answer.

"Well that's just ghastly," Ginny said, looking over at the now-stained white tablecloth, before picking up her plate to go and get more food.

Hermione took out her wand and with a small flick, the stains disappeared. "Honestly, can't you two do with one night of dancing?"

"Hermione, when have we ever danced before," Ron asked, his face masking his horror.

"Oh, how silly of me, what about the Yule Ball, Ronald," she shot back.

"We didn't dance!"

"Well, I did! Just because you sucked the fun out of that night doesn't mean the rest of our nights were ruined," Hermione replied.

Harry, not entirely sure what the Yule Ball was, decided not to intervene in Ron and Hermione's hot-headed discussion. Instead, his mind was wandering over to, according to Hermione, the inevitable dance.

He presumed Ginny would most certainly assume Harry would be her dancing partner until the end of the night. If Harry was to be truthful with himself, the only girl he wanted to dance with was sitting right next to him, with a date of her own.

Breaking out of his slight revere, he noticed Ron and Hermione were both pouting and looking off in opposite directions.

Suddenly, a deep voice shook Ron out his stupor and grazed Harry's attention. "May I have this dance?"

Looking up from the table, Harry, to his emotional disgust, saw Cormac McLaggen, dressed in a dashing dress robe with his hair slicked off to the side. He held out his hand for Hermione to take while she blushed slightly.

"Oh, I'm sorry but I'm here with my friend, Ron," Hermione said, looking back over her shoulder at Ron who was standing to his feet; without any realization of his own, Harry noticed that he too was on his feet.

"Well, I happened to notice you did not say 'date', did you," Cormac responded, the corner of his mouth tugging upwards into a small smile. "I'm sure you're two, friends, wouldn't mind one small dance, would they," he asked, stressing the word 'friends' while looking at both Harry and Ron smugly.

Hermione looked up at Ron and after a moment's decision, she said, "It would be rude to Ron so I would have to say no."

Cormac looked momentarily stumped before he shook his head in understanding before leaving their table. Harry's inner joy expounded greatly from his beating heart which was then suddenly put-out when Ron grabbed Hermione's hand and led her onto the dance floor.

"Harry, why are you standing," a voice asked from behind him.

He turned around and saw Ginny standing there, looking at him with a curious look on her face, her head cocked to one side.

"Oh, I was just, um, looking for you," he lied again, tearing his gaze away from the dancing couple of Ron and Hermione.

Sitting back down, Harry noticed Ginny had grabbed two more plates full of food. "Would you care to dance?"

"Harry, you have the worst timing: we just sat down! Anyway, I want to finish this food beforehand and then we have the rest of the night to do whatever we please," Ginny responded, sending a wink over at him.

As Ginny started munching away on her meal, Harry, to his utter annoyance, saw Professor Trelawney walking in the direction of their table, muttering to herself. Ginny, who was completely oblivious to the entire situation, said, "Oh, Harry, don't they look wonderful together?"

Harry fixated his gaze to where Ginny was staring at and saw Ron and Hermione dancing in close proximity with each other. Disgruntled, Harry decided to instead focus his gaze on the appearing Divination teacher.

Professor Trelawney, still rambling about to herself, suddenly tripped over her over-long shawls and fell into a lone round table, sending both herself and the table to the floor.

Harry turned his head away to stifle his laughter as some other students circled around her and tried to help the dazed professor to her feet.

"Are you alright, professor," Harry heard Lavender Brown, a fellow sixth-year Gryffindor, ask.

"I'm alright my dear, just fine. The inner eye is very foggy tonight, indeed! Making sense of the senseless is something that very few people do possess," she said in her usual mythical tone of voice.

Harry rolled his eyes as Professor Trelawney got to her feet and continued to make her way forward. Suddenly, the Divination teacher looked up at spotted Harry; when she did so, her eyes grew wide as she practically ran over to their table to take a seat.

"My dear boy," she said, "I knew it must have something to do with you! Oh, how could I have not seen this before…it was all in the cards!"

"Um, I don't mean to be rude, but I don't understand what you're talking about," Harry said across the table as Ginny looked over at Professor Trelawney with a bored expression on her face.

"I must inform you, my dear, that I have seen…the Grim," she stated, her eyes, if possible, growing even wider. "My sherry bottles have filled my senses as something is going to definitely happen tonight!"

Harry opened his mouth to reply but thought better of the matter and closed it. Ginny turned her attention back to Harry and started, "Harry don't listen to h-,"

But before she could finish, Trelawney gripped the edge of the table tightly and threw her head back, seeming as if she was chanting some mythical tone. Harry and Ginny watched the professor in adjunct disbelief, wondering just how far she would go in order to persuade Harry to believe in the Grim.

To his relief, Ron and Hermione came back to the table, having a whispered conversation with each other, which suddenly abated when they saw Professor Trelawney at their table.

"What's going on," Ron asked, looking from Trelawney over to Harry and Ginny.

"She's just going on about the Grim again," Ginny replied off-handedly, taking a bite out of her corn stalk she had in her hands.

At her answer, Professor Trelawney seemed to snap out of her odd entrancement and looked at Ginny coldly before saying, "I can see the Inner Eye is still not an appreciated art in a magical context; how unjust of you to make light over a dark matter!"

Ginny opened her mouth to reply when Harry cut over her and said, "Save it Ginny." She looked over at him incredulously as Trelawney stood up, wrapping her shawl more tightly across her shoulders. Giving Ginny another glare, Trelawney stuck her nose in the air and walked away.

"Harry, why didn't you defend me," Ginny asked, giving him an accusatory glare of her own.

"Defend you from what exactly," Harry asked.

"Trelawney stumped me and all you tell me to do is to take it?"

"Ginny, she didn't stump you at all; all she said was that you were making fun the Grim," Harry replied.

"Harry, it doesn't exist! I was protecting your honor!"

"Well, the Grim must have some meaning to it; the Grim takes the form of a black dog and I had a black dog following me around all third year." At this, the entire table fell silent.

"Harry, what did you just say," Hermione asked gently, reclaiming her seat next to him.

"I don't know where that came from," he said. "It sort of just came out."

"Perhaps but what you said was right. There was a black dog following you around in third year," Hermione explained. "I think we are starting to see signs of you getting your memory back."

"Hopefully," Harry answered, trying to rack his brain for any more memories he might have; unfortunately, no such luck came to him.

A sudden yet beautiful piece of music then reached their ears. Ginny, gasping in delight, threw down the spoon holding the chocolate ice cream she was about to devour, grabbed both of Harry's hands and said, "Let's dance!"

Without waiting for an answer, she led Harry onto the dance floor, where she wrapped both of her arms around his shoulders. Harry was momentarily frozen; giggling, Ginny placed both of Harry's hands on her hips as they slowly, yet awkwardly, moved in time to the soulful sounds.

"I forgive you, you know," she said, looking up at Harry.

"Do you," Harry asked, not comfortable with the situation he was forced in at the present time.

"Harry, do you even know what I'm talking about?"

"Um, not exactly," he replied.

Ginny smiled as she said, "About what happened before with Trelawney. It seems as if she's always going on about the rubbish Grim when she sees you. I was only trying to protect you."

"Protect me from what?"

"From her, Harry; she's not exactly the most intelligent of the bunch," Ginny replied, giving Harry an exasperated look.

"Oh, well thank you for that, I guess," he replied.

"Oh, trust me…it's not problem," Ginny whispered, looking up through her long eye-lashes at Harry. Ginny leaned her head in closer while Harry leaned his head back.

Momentarily caught off guard, Ginny looked a bit hurt but she suddenly regained her composure and put a smile of her face.

Ginny then closed her eyes and rested her head against Harry's chest. As Harry tried to find ways out of Ginny's closeness, Harry looked back over at the table he was sitting at and saw Hermione sitting alone, tracing blank circles around with her finger on the tablecloth.

It was then that something inside of Harry struck with a powerful volt of electricity. Seeing his best female friend sitting alone did something to him in which he could not explain in the slightest. To Harry, it was like watching your best friend sitting by herself, the air around her plagued with loneliness.

These feelings, Harry decided, had been building for awhile but he never had the gall to act upon them. However, on this snow-filled night, Harry felt an invisible yet powerful magnetic tug towards his best friend dressed in red.

"Ginny, I need to take a quick break," Harry stated. She poked up her head at him and nodded rather reluctantly.

Taking Harry's hand, she led them back over to their table. "Where's Ron," Ginny asked, noticing her missing brother.

"Oh, he's taken to conversation over there," Hermione said, nodding her head off in the opposite direction.

Harry felt that the term 'conversation' was used rather loosely as he saw Ron lip-locked with none other than Lavender Brown.

Ginny put her hands on her hips while morphing her face into a glare of death. Before she marched away, Harry could have sworn he heard Ginny mumble, "Oh, that prat is ruining everything!"

Harry took a seat next to Hermione while Ginny went off to go after her brother. "Are you okay," he asked her.

"Me, I'm fine…why?"

"I don't know, you just seem, a little down is all," he replied.

"Trust me, Harry, there's nothing romantic between me and Ron," Hermione stated.

"Really? Why is that?"

"I'm not interested in him is all, really," she replied.

"So then why did you ask Ron to come with you?"

"Because I thought he felt he was always being left out of everything really. It's like being the last kid picked to play on a sports team…it doesn't feel good at all."

"You always think of others before yourself, don't you," Harry remarked to which Hermione gave him a small smile.

Harry looked over his shoulder and saw a red-faced Ginny leading a sullen-looking Ron out through another door. This was his chance: it was now or never.

"Hermione, could I ask you to trust me?"

Hermione looked up at him strangely while she said, "What are you talking about, Harry?"

Harry stood up and held out his hand while saying, "Just follow me."

"But what about Ron and Ginny," she asked while she looked at Harry's outstretched hand.

"I asked you to trust me, Hermione," he replied calmly though his heart was beating a mile per minute.

Slowly but surely, Hermione placed her delicate hand in his. Smiling, Harry tugged her to her feet and the two departed from Slughorn's Christmas party.

Harry's shoes and Hermione's heels echoed smoothly off of the empty halls of the Hogwarts castle as the pair hurried off down a long corridor, their shadows chasing their bodies.

Rounding a corner, Harry gasped about when he saw Professor Snape striding down another hall, his black cloak billowing behind him.

Acting on instinct, Harry pushed Hermione through a random door to keep them hidden from the approaching Potions master.

To Harry's immense relief, it seemed as if the mind of Professor Snape was elsewhere that night as he walked on by. Letting out a deep sigh, Harry tugged on Hermione's hand but she suddenly squeezed his.

Looking back at her quizzically, Hermione pressed a finger against her lips and nodded her head backwards towards a wall.

"What," Harry whispered.

Hermione pulled Harry's hand towards the empty expansion and she pressed her ear against the wall as Harry followed suit.

"Ron, you are ruining everything! You only had one task to do and now look at what you've done: snogging off the lips of Lavender!"

"Shut up, Ginny, it's not my fault Hermione doesn't want to kiss me! And enough about me, what about you: didn't you say Harry would be yours before the night was through?"

"Ron, you are a pig! It's not my fault you can't keep a good conversation flowing! You always speak before you think; I sometimes wonder why mum paired Hermione with you; it's obvious she's too intelligent for your own good."

Throughout this conversation, Harry felt his anger bubbling to the surface. Taking a look over at Hermione, it surprised Harry that she seemed perfectly content.

Caching his eye, Hermione nodded off towards the door. Harry retook Hermione's hand in his and the two departed from the still bickering red-haired siblings.

"I can't believe those two," Harry said, "Tricking the two of us to fall in love with them!"

"Well, at least now we know," Hermione replied, looking over at Harry while gripping his hand firmly. "I've always suspected it though."

"Is that why you didn't look so shocked," Harry asked.

"Yes; I remember going to the Burrow over the summers and noticed how Mrs. Weasley was always fixated on you and Ginny. She only wants what's best for her daughter, Harry."

"And who says that I'm it," Harry asked sarcastically.

"Anyway, I wouldn't think too hard on Mrs. Weasley. It's obvious she's a rather protective mother not just to her seven children but to us as well."

"Forgive me if I have a hard time seeing that right now," Harry replied, his anger still reaching its boiling point.

"Well think about it like this: you and I are the two students that are close to her that have no ties to the Wizarding World. I'm Muggleborn while your family was murdered, Harry. I think she just wants us to have blood-ties to the Wizarding World through love and family and the way it is to be done are by having her two youngest children and us fall in love."

"Hermione, I think you are forgetting that you are a witch and I am a wizard; that reason is more than enough ties to the Wizarding World," Harry remarked.

"Yes, while that is true, Mrs. Weasley doesn't see it like that," Hermione replied.

Harry thought a moment about Hermione's comment but decided not to dwell too much on his anger for he wanted his plan to be carried out to perfection. Mentally shaking his head, Harry led Hermione down another corridor.

"And by the way, Harry, do you mind telling me where we are going," Hermione asked.

"You'll just have to wait and see," he replied, giving her a small smile.

Together, Harry and Hermione descended the stairs and into the entrance hall of the castle.

"Now, I want you to wait out here for just a moment," Harry said, gently leaning Hermione against the stone walls outside the Great Hall. "And I'll be right back."

"Harry, whatever you're doing…is just crazy," Hermione whispered, looking into his green eyes.

"I know it is but I only get one chance at this."

"One chance at what exactly," Hermione asked.

"You'll see; just wait a moment."

With that, Harry disappeared into the Great Hall. Hermione's mind was racing at lightning speed wondering what on earth Harry could be doing and what his plans were. After a few minutes, the double doors of the Great Hall creaked open and Harry came out.

Hermione looked at him expectantly while he said, "Now, I want you to close your eyes and follow me."

Hermione did as she was told, closing her eyes and placing her hands in Harry's. She was slowly led over the threshold of the double doors and into the Great Hall, her heart laced with intense anticipation.

She heard Harry shut the doors softly. Finally, Hermione heard the words, "Okay, you can open your eyes now."

When she did so, she let out an involuntary gasp. The Great Hall did not look like the Great Hall at all. In fact, it seemed as if Harry had somehow turned the hall into a tree farm. Christmas trees were all around them, shining and twinkling merrily with multi-colored Christmas lights.

With her mouth hanging open, Hermione slowly walked through this magical min-forest while Harry followed close behind. They walked in a maze of Christmas trees as a light snow had begun to fall on their heads.

"Harry, what is all of this," Hermione asked in a whisper.

"Truthfully, I'm not entirely sure what this is but I knew it was something I had to do for you," he replied.

"How did you do this?"

"With my wand," Harry replied simply.

Hermione rolled her eyes at him and reiterated, "I mean, I guess I never knew you could do all this; this is just stunning. I've never seen you do something like this in class."

"Well, to be honest with you, we never had to produce Christmas trees in class before," he replied with a small smile on his face.

"No, definitely not nor did we ever had to produce continuous snow, did we," Hermione remarked, pointing her finger upward to the falling snow.

"I don't think so," Harry said.

Hermione laughed as she twirled around, her dress twirling with her as the snow continued to fall in a flurry while the Christmas trees sparkled in shimmering colors.

As Harry watched Hermione revel in pure bliss, his heart seemed to expand twice its normal size. Walking up to her, he asked, "May I have this dance?"

Hermione stopped her spinning and smiled as she placed her hands on Harry's shoulders gracefully. Together, the two started dancing in between the towering Christmas trees, moving in time together.

Suddenly, Harry stopped and looked down at Hermione. Her face was flush with renewed joyfulness and enjoyment. As confidentially as he could, Harry leaned his head down and pressed his lips against Hermione's.

Any reason, any sound, and any thought flew out of Harry's head as he could not remember feeling any happier than he did at that very moment. It was as if a spark had ignited inside of Harry and it was now burning against the midnight oil. How sound could no music be unless graceful hearts were uttered into motion nearby?

As they broke apart, the two Gryffindors looked longingly at each other. Harry noticed something had changed inside of him but also saw a change in Hermione. As they leaned down for another kiss, a voice broke them apart.

"There you two are! I've been looking for you everywhere!"

Harry and Hermione turned towards the sound of the voice and Harry heard Hermione gasp about. He grabbed her hand as he didn't recognize this new stranger though he did look familiar.

As the figure drew closer and closer, Harry became more and more confused as he surely thought he was looking in a m-

Before he could complete his thoughts, Hermione's voice broke the tense air, "What are you doing here?"

Harry looked down at Hermione and asked, "Hermione, do you know who this is?"

She looked up at Harry in horror as she slowly nodded her head. "Harry, I now need you to trust me with every fiber in your being, because, believe it or not, this is James Potter…your father."


	25. The Great Hall Fire

Harry Potter and a Marauder Revival

Author's Note: Hello everyone! Here is Chapter 25 of "Harry Potter and a Marauder Revival!" I want to take a moment and thank everyone that has left me a review so far! Chapter 26 will be posted **MONDAY NIGHT!** If you wish, feel free to leave a short (or long) review to let me know what you think of this chapter and/or the story overall!

Chapter 25: The Great Hall Fire

Harry looked down at Hermione incredulously, his heart now hammering loudly against his chest. His palms started sweating as Harry shifted his gaze to his apparent, according to Hermione, father…but then, why did he look so young? Harry, judging by looks alone, guessed his father could not be any older than he was at the present time.

With every step he took, James' gaze floundered all over the Great Hall which was still littered with towering Christmas trees, each branch twinkling a different color while the snow overhead never ceased to fall.

"I have got to say, Harry, I expected something from you, but this," James gestured his arms around the hall, "Is not something I would have ever imagined but way to go," he finished, clasping his hand on Harry's shoulder.

Harry could only stare as at the present time, words failed him. All along ever since Harry had awoken with lost memories, Hermione had told him his parents were dead. Yet, by some mysterious twist of fate, his father was before him, looking both alive and well.

James' eyes fell over to Hermione as the look in his eyes shifted from wonder to alarm in a second.

"Hermione, what is it," James asked in a concerned voice. "You look as if you have seen a ghost."

Hermione crossed her arms over her chest as Harry assumed she too was lost for words. It was then that James took a look down at the dress Hermione was wearing as confusion took over.

"Hermione, I don't remember you wearing that to Slughorn's Christmas party; did you change?"

Hermione looked as if she had been put under a giant spotlight. Her voice faltered as she replied, "Well…you see…um…James, there is something I need to tell you." Hermione looked over to Harry and added, "There's something I need to tell the both of you, actually."

Hermione turned slowly on the spot and started to walk away from Harry and James, her figure wandering away through the small spaces between the Christmas trees.

Harry noticed Hermione was definitely tense as her shoulders were hunched over and she was taking, small, light steps.

Harry looked over at James once again who shrugged in answer, completely caught off guard by Hermione's sudden and unusual behavior.

Hermione's red dress disappeared further and further into the green woods with Harry and James following in-step behind her in silence.

"Hermione, will you please tell us what is going on," James called out finally, Harry assuming he had growing too aggravated to wait.

At this, Hermione turned on the spot, her arms still folded across her chest, as she stood under the wide window of the Great Hall; the thousands of lights of the trees, Harry noticed, were reflecting beautifully off of it.

"I don't even know where to begin," she started, her eyes shifting down onto the stone floor. "There is so much to say and even I don't know half of it," she mumbled.

"How about starting from the beginning," James suggested, a trace a humor in his voice. But Hermione didn't crack a smile; no, she was still looking floored against reason.

"Okay, let's see…let's start with you, James. I really don't know how else to say this so I'm just going to come out and say it: James, you are in the future, in the year 1996."

James' voice screwed up in confusion, the lines in his forehead become more pronounced by the moment.

"A-are you joking…you think I'm in the future," he asked, his disbelief evident. "Hermione, this is some cruel joke you're playing at."

"James, listen to me: I'm not joking around with you. I don't know how and I don't know why but you are in the future."

"If I'm in the future then shouldn't I be," James stopped and looked off in the distance, calculations running through his head, "Thirty-six years old?" At this, James looked down at himself, his hands clasping his cheeks to see if age had caught up with him. "I definitely don't feel old."

"No, well, yes, you should be thirty-six currently but you're not. You still look like you're sixteen-year-old self," Hermione stated.

"But wait a moment…how do you know we are in the future? Have you been here before?"

Hermione shifted her nervous gaze over to Harry who had a feeling Hermione had not been completely truthful with him.

"James, the reason I know this is is that, Harry and I, we are from the future." James stared at Hermione for a few moments, his eyes refusing to blink. Silence consumed the air around the trio, pressing in harder and harder around them.

Harry looked over to Hermione who was still looking at James. Harry had questions of his own but he thought if he waited, they might be answered.

"So, all this time, you and Harry were from the future but you didn't tell any of us," he asked in a quiet voice.

Hermione nodded her head in answer. James, seeing this, let out a massive sigh as he leaned heavily against the window, his arms now folded across his chest.

"But…why wouldn't you let any of us know; I don't understand," he continued, refusing to look at either Harry or Hermione.

"James, think of what would've happened if we told you! Dangerous things have happened to both witches and wizards that have meddled with time! The risk was too great to take," Hermione answered.

"Well, it seemed as if there has been no effect to you seeing that you meddled with time," he replied back.

"No, you're right, nothing did happen to me but something did happen to Harry," she retorted. James' head shot up at Hermione's comment, his eyes boring into Harry's.

"What happened to him," he asked.

"Well, Harry has lost his memory." Harry felt as if he was on the outside looking in on their conversation. Without James' eyes on him, Harry felt as if he was under a prognosis for a mental illness.

"Harry and I didn't meddle with time willingly…it's just what happened for some reason or another. Waking up in the hospital wing is the beginning of this story."

James looked off to his right, digesting this new information. Harry now felt it was his turn to ask the questions, seeing that his queries went unanswered.

"Hermione, I need you tell me what you know. There is something out of place here and there's nothing we can do unless we all know what has happened."

Hermione nodded her head and answered, "Harry, before you lost your memories, the two of us were sent back in time somehow; to the year 1976 precisely. That is the year your parents and their friends were at Hogwarts; they were in their sixth year. We spent months there, taking classes with them and becoming friends with them but at Professor Slughorn's party, everything changed. We were sent back to our time, 1996, with your memories gone."

Harry took a few moments to understand the implications surrounding their dilemma. A question arose through Harry as he asked, "But, didn't you say bad things happen to witches and wizards that mess with time?"

"I did," Hermione responded, "But what of it?"

"Well, since we went back in time, wouldn't there have been many changes to our time seeing how we went back to the future? Your actions recently have seemed as if we returned to our time with no changes at all."

"Professor Dumbledore told us that something would have to be given up if we were to return to 1996. He was trying to find a way around that but coming back here, I guess he was unable to do so. You losing your memory was what I thought had to be given up," she responded. "But thinking back on it, these two scenarios don't add up."

"Are you saying there is something else at work here," James piped in, looking over at Hermione.

"There must be…but I just can't think of anything right now."

"Wait another moment," James started, "If I'm back, does that mean that Sirius, Lily, Remus, and Peter came back too?"

Hermione bit her bottom lip as she replied, "I just don't know. If I had to guess, I don't think they did."

"And why would you think that?"

"Because you are the only one that's here, aren't you," Hermione responded. "Don't you think they would be here as well, with us right now, if they too came back?"

James huffed in response as he continued to lean his frame against the window. Waiting a few moments, James asked, "So what do we do now? I hope you are not suggesting we just go with the flow and act as if nothing has happened."

"Well, it is Christmas in a couple of days so I think it would be best to leave Hogwarts and wrap our heads around this whole situation. Then, when we come back, we can talk to Professor Dumbledore about everything," Hermione suggested.

"Why wouldn't we talk to Professor Dumbledore now," Harry asked.

"Because, currently, I think Professor Dumbledore knows a lot more than he's letting on."

"Are you suggesting he may have something to do with this," James asked, walking closer to Hermione.

"I'm suggesting that I think he may have arranged this whole charade."

"But if he's arranged this entire situation, don't you think he might seek us out," James asked again.

"No…I think he's waiting to see what we make of it. There's an overall plan that's at work, that much I'm certain of, but what that plan is and why it involves time travel…that's where I find a dead end," Hermione said.

"So where do we go from here," James asked.

Before Hermione could formulate an answer, Harry stepped in and said, "Well it's obvious, isn't it? We act like nothing has changed."

"What about winter break? Are you suggesting staying in the castle," James asked.

"I think that's the best option we have, actually," Hermione interfered, "But seeing the state of things that are unfolding in our community right now, we might have to leave the castle anyway."

"What do you mean when you say 'the state of things'," James asked. "Is that bloke Voldemort still around?"

At James' question, Harry and Hermione looked at one another, painful memories of past conversations searing through both of their beating hearts. James would have to know…there was no other way around it. If he was to stay in their time for however long he was to stay, Voldemort would have to be discussed.

"Well, you see-," Hermione started but she never got to finish her statement for at the exact moment, a nearby Christmas tree burst apart.

Startling the trio, Harry ran up to Hermione, grabbed her hand, and darted in the opposite direction with James taking up the rear. Another explosion rained pieces of broken Christmas branches and tangled and twisted strings of brightly-colored lights down on them.

Harry took out his wand and pointed it over his shoulder. James, noticing Harry's movements, ducked out of the way as Harry bellowed, " _REDUCTO_!" A cosmic blast exploded a collection of Christmas trees behind him, as the air of the Great Hall was beginning to fill up with slow, falling Christmas needles.

It was at this time that Harry noticed James was not running behind them anymore. Turning his head left and right, his eyes searching frantically for his father, Harry glimpsed a small, black coat tail darting out of the sight.

Suddenly, Harry felt Hermione's hand fall out of his grasp. Whipping around, he saw Hermione had fallen over, small cuts covering both of the palms of her hands along with a gash that ran the length of her arm.

"Harry look out!"

Harry turned and saw a jet of red light roaring toward him. Before he had time to react, James jumped from behind two Christmas trees and yelled, " _PROTEGO_!"

James fired off a curse of his own as their attacker fled the scene. Harry turned around and quickly helped Hermione to her feet. "Are you alright," he asked, his voice masking varying levels of concern.

"Yes, I'm alright; let's just get out of here!"

"Okay, let's find James, I mean my father, and leave," Harry reprimanded, once again grabbing Hermione's hand and taking off down an isle of trees.

Harry could make out a collection of two voices firing off hexes and curses at each other as he could see the bursts of color taking place a few paces ahead of where he and Hermione currently stood.

Harry turned towards Hermione and put a finger to his lips, signifying for her to remain as quiet as possible. She nodded her head as Harry crept closer and closer to where the duel was taking place.

Poking his wand in between two branches of a lone tree, Harry saw James and their attacker dancing around one another, as he tried to take aim. However, since the two wizards were constantly moving, Harry was afraid he would accidentally hit his father instead of their aggressor.

Waiting for the perfect moment he hoped would soon come, Harry moved his wand in time with their assailant. Seeking a chance, Harry muttered, " _EXPELLIARMUS_." Unfortunately, both James' and their provoker's wand flew out of their hands and into a tangle of nearby branches of trees.

Harry raced out from behind his makeshift hiding spot as James was looking for his wand; their attacker was nowhere to be seen.

"I've got to say, you must work on your aim, Harry," James said, a hint of humor in his voice and the pair looked for his wand.

"Well you didn't make it easy with the two of you waltzing around each other the way you were," Harry retorted, a smirk appearing on his face.

"Can you guys save you folly for later; I don't think we're alone," Hermione whispered harshly, her wand drawn as her eyes kept lookout.

"A-ha, there you are you little devil," James called out triumphantly, grabbing his wand with his right fist.

No later than James found his wand, a familiar voice called out in a dramatic cry, " _INCENDIO_!"

Harry, James, and Hermione focused their eyes on a hooded figure, his height matching that of both Harry and James, as a great wall of fire roared towards them.

The trio's eyes widened in surprise as the temperature in the Great Hall flared in a scorching gaze.

"We have to go…NOW," James yelled, grabbed both Harry and Hermione's hands and tugging them towards the doors of the Great Hall, the flames of the fire licking up each tree it passed.

The three of them fled, their feet pounding against the stone floor of the hall as they ran with all of their might as fast as they could. The fire of the Great Hall was growing ever mightier as Harry, James, and Hermione sputtered for fresh air the fire was currently soaking up.

Running down one lane and then another, a great _WHOOSH_ was heard every time the fire consumed another bundle of trees Harry worked so hard on to create for Hermione. Now, his fantasies of he and Hermione alone had vanished completely; the only thing he was focused upon was getting out of there alive.

However, an odd sound rung in Harry's ears; he looked back over his shoulder and saw the hooded figure was laughing. Shoulders' shaking with his head bent forward, their attacker was actually laughing.

Shaking his head of the disturbing picture he just witnessed, to his relief, the doors of the Great Hall was finally in sight. Pushing the great double doors open, the trio fled out of the hall but not before Harry took one last glance inside.

To his horror, the hooded figure spread his arms wide apart as Harry could swear he was smiling; not a moment later, the great fire engulfed him.

James tugged Harry backwards; he stumbled onto the stone floor as James and Hermione slammed the door shut to contain the fire from escaping the Great Hall.

"Hurry, we need to tell a professor what has happened," Hermione said, as James helped Harry to his feet.

Hermione led the two boys up the staircase of the entrance hall, blood seeping out from the numerous cuts she hand on her hands and arms.

"You don't think that person in there will come back, do you," came the voice of Hermione.

"No, I don't," Harry responded.

"How can you be so sure," James asked, as they walked down a silent corridor.

"Because, I saw…I saw him in the fire," Harry muttered, as the horror of what he had witnessed had begun to sink into him.

"So, does that mean he's dead," Hermione whispered, turning around to face Harry.

"I dunno," he responded truthfully, "But I don't know many people that have survived after being swallowed by a fire."

Hermione had an uncomfortable look on her face as she turned back around and marched down another long passageway.

"Hermione, what exactly are we looking for," James asked.

"A professor, any professor so we can tell them what happened," she responded.

Passing Professor McGonagall's classroom, Hermione turned another corner before rushing back around it, gasping suddenly. She took out her wand in surprising haste, aimed it at James and said, " _STUPEFY_." As James dropped onto the stone floor, Harry looked over at Hermione with a stunned expression on his face.

"What did you do that for," he said harshly to her.

"Hurry, put James inside Professor McGonagall's classroom; Professor Snape is coming!"

The two students roughly pushed James' unconscious body into their Transfiguration classroom before closing the door. Jogging around the corner, they met Professor Snape who at first had a shocked expression on his face. However, his shock soon turned into a sneer as he said, "Well well well, what do we have here? Two Gryffindor cubs out for a late night stroll? That will be fifty points from Gryffindor each."

"Professor, please listen, we've just been attacked and we need to see Professor Dumbledore immediately," Hermione said, ignoring their former Potions master's jibe of docking points from Gryffindor.

"Miss Granger, under what evidence do you have that you have just been attacked," Snape nearly spat out at her.

She looked up at him defiantly and held out her arms. Snape looked down at them and said, "Well…are you going to provide me with any evidence or not?"

Fury overtook Harry in a heartbeat as he stepped closer to Snape and yelled, "Look! Look at her arms! Can't you see her blood! It's right in front of you!"

For a moment, Snape stared at Harry with pure hatred in his eyes. Harry himself thought Snape would surely draw out his wand and attack him on the spot with the venomous gaze his Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher was giving him at the present moment.

Surprisingly, the next words were spoken in a very soft, yet nefarious manner as he said, "Mr. Potter, I would advise you to remember that you are speaking to someone who has both more authority and more power than yourself. It would be unwise for you to trample upon such misgivings that would have you expelled from the school."

Waves of hatred pounded through Harry but in the deepest corner of his heart, he knew Snape was right. A hand slipped in his and he looked over and saw desperation in Hermione's eyes, pleading for him to keep a level-head.

"Well can we at least see Professor Dumbledore, this is an urgent matter," Harry said through gritted teeth.

Before Snape could respond, Professors Dumbledore and McGonagall dashed around the corner, worry etched across their aging features.

Taking a swift look at the two students, Professor Dumbledore said, "What happened?"

"Sir, Hermione and I were in the Great Hall when a hooded figure attacked the two of us. Before we managed to escape, the person set the entire hall on fire," Harry responded immediately.

"Where did he come from," Dumbledore asked, his bright blue eyes boring into Harry.

"We don't know; he just suddenly appeared out of nowhere," Harry retorted.

Dumbledore nodded his head and said, "Professor McGonagall, may I ask you to accompany both Harry and Hermione to the hospital wing while Professor Snape and I will go down to the Great Hall."

McGonagall nodded her head as she replied, "Of course," as she guided the two students down the hall and up a flight of stairs towards the hospital ward.

"Do the two of you have any serious injuries," their Transfiguration professor asked, looking them over.

"Hermione's has a couple of bad scrapes on her arm but I'm fine," Harry answered.

"Okay, well Madam Pomfrey will look the two of you over," McGonagall replied as the three of them stepped into the ward.

At the sound of the doors opening, Madam Pomfrey bristled out of her office as her eyes fell upon the two newly-arrived students.

"My goodness, Miss Granger, what on earth happened to you," the hospital matron asked, as she guided Hermione over to a nearby bed so she could sit down.

"I fell, actually," Hermione responded, shrugging her shoulders matter-of-factly. Madam Pomfrey continued to fuss over Hermione until all of her cuts and scrapes had been cured.

"She's not seriously hurt, is she Poppy," McGonagall asked some minutes later in a worrying tone.

"No, no, Miss Granger is good as new," Pomfrey beamed.

Just then, the hospital doors opened again and in walked Professors Dumbledore and Snape.

McGonagall walked over to Dumbledore and asked, "How is it Albus? Did you find anything?"

Harry and Hermione waited with bated breath, anxious to hear any news the two professors might have found down in the Great Hall.

"We found…nothing," Professor Dumbledore said. Harry's mouth fell open while Hermione stared over at their headmaster with a look of hopelessness on her face.

"You didn't find anything," she asked quietly.

"No, Miss Granger, there was no trace of any fire found in the Great Hall; just an entanglement of Christmas trees," Dumbledore replied, his gaze fixed upon Harry.

"But this doesn't make any sense," Hermione said. "Harry and I wouldn't lie about anything like this."

"Oh, trust me when I say I believe in your story, even if the facts do not support it," Dumbledore replied, smiling warmly at her. "There is definitely something very evil here at work and I think it's efficient now that Christmas break is upon us for the students to head home so we can carefully inspect the castle."

"And what of the students who have no home to go to," McGonagall asked. "Every year, there are a handful of students that never leave the castle."

"A pressing matter indeed, but the safety of the students of Hogwarts is a much more imperative complication that must not be undone. In just a few moments, I will send word to the heads of houses for them to write home that it is essential for every student to arrive home this Christmas."

Harry suddenly felt distinctly uncomfortable seeing as he had no home to go to. Suddenly, Hermione's voice struck him out of his revere as she said, "Harry can come to my house, Professors. I am sure my parents will not mind."

Harry looked over at Hermione with a shocked expression on his face. His heart now beating rather fast, he looked from Hermione over to Dumbledore who seemed to take this into careful consideration.

"A worthy choice, Miss Granger, and a rather smart one at that; I do not think the Death Eaters will expect Harry to take temporary residence in a Muggle household; however, I will ask the Ministry for extra protection as a strong precaution nonetheless," Dumbledore said, nodding his head.

Mentally jumping for joy, Harry turned to look at Hermione with a wide smile across his face. She beamed back at him, happy that they would be spending the holiday together.

"Yes, well, Mr. Potter and Miss Granger, I would advise the two of you to head off to your dormitory and get some much needed rest."

Harry and Hermione nodded their heads in unison before they walked out of the hospital ward together. As soon as they walked far enough way so they would not be overhead, Hermione took off her high heels before she and Harry dashed down a flight of stairs and down a long corridor, finally reaching their destination of their Transfiguration classroom.

Heaving in deep breaths through his lungs, Harry rested his hands on his thighs trying to catch his breath.

Hermione pushed open the door a few moments later and their eyes fell upon the still unconscious form of James.

Hermione took out her wand and kneeled down. Pointing her wand at James' chest, she said, " _RENNERVATE_."

Suddenly, James blinked his eyes open, as he raised a hand to his head. "Oh, what happened," he mumbled.

"I'm sorry James, I had to keep you hidden," Hermione apologized.

"Oh, no, um that's alright, Hermione, just try and give me a little warning next time, okay," James responded in a joking manner.

Hermione smirked slightly as James asked, "So what happens now?"

"Well, we are all going to spend Christmas together, actually. We leave tomorrow morning back to London to my parents' house," Hermione responded.

"W-we're not spending Christmas here," James asked.

"No, the professors want to sweep the castle to see if they can find any remnants of our attacker," Harry answered.

"What do they need to do that for? All of the evidence is in the Great Hall," James replied in an annoyed manner.

"James, there was no evidence that an attack happened in the Great Hall," Hermione said. "Professors Dumbledore and Snape didn't find anything."

"Hmm, well, Professor…what?!" James' eyes widened in shock as he looked from Harry to Hermione and back to Harry, "Did you just say 'Professor' Snape?"

Harry and Hermione nodded their heads as James pouted. "That slimy-nosed git is a professor here, at Hogwarts?"

"Yes…I'm afraid so," Hermione responded.

"Well then…I want to be as far away as possible from that great old bat. When do we leave again?"


	26. Sights of Sounds

Harry Potter and a Marauder Revival

Author's Note: Hello everyone! Here is Chapter 26 of "Harry Potter and a Marauder Revival!" Chapter 27 will be posted **FRIDAY NIGHT!** If you wish, let me know what you all think about Chapter 26 with a short (or long) review. Also, thanks to everyone that has left a review thus far!

Chapter 26: Sights of Sounds

After a rough day of work, he felt as if his Christmas shopping was finally done; after all, it was just a mere two days away until gifts would be exchanged on a, what he predicted, would be a cold, frigid morning, in front of a hulking Christmas tree, full of strings of yellow lights and covered in tinsel.

It was odd what Christmas cheer did to him; usually, his mouth would have flung out curses and untimely deaths on the other people driving around him (for did anyone know how to drive in London?), yet tonight, driving home well past the evening rush hour, his mouth was instead turned up into a ridiculously-looking smile.

It was highly probable that this was because he thought, no he knew, he had just snagged the best gift his wife could ever want: a ruby-encrusted diamond ring, something she has been fawning over ever since they started shopping for their engagement rings for their supposed upcoming wedding.

Cranking the numbers for their future wedding, Jake Young felt as if he really should be applying for another job, judging by the fact the cost of the wedding his future wife was envisioning. But tonight, he would just relish in the fact that in two days, his wife would cry tears of delight seeing the stunning present he had just bought for her. Oh, the joy of having the holiday shopping completed felt as if a thousand pound weight had been lifted off of his shoulders for he could now breathe easy again.

Turning onto his home street, the car's headlights shone brightly against the dark cement as Jake dodged cars parked against the curbs; it was as if he was driving through an obstacle course for his street was very narrow; not even two cars could get by without scraping into one another.

Smiling to himself as he pulled against the curb in front of his house, his joyful spirit increased further when a light snowfall had begun. Yes, Jake thought in his mind, the Christmas spirit is definitely here.

Walking up the path lined up to his front door, he realized with dawning uneasiness, the house lights were off. His heart thumping just a beat faster than normal, Jake unlocked the front door of his home thinking his wife surely should be home by now.

Closing the entryway, Jake turned his head to his left and saw the pitch black living room. Turning to his head to the right, he saw the dining room was bathed in nothingness. It was then that he saw a glimmer of light shining up ahead, behind their kitchen door.

Gulping loudly, Jake shrugged off his coat and placed it on the banister of the staircase as he passed it to go into the kitchen.

Something was definitely wrong, he thought to himself, each step he took towards the kitchen…the house reeks of it. But what could it be?

Taking a deep calming breath, Jake pushed open the kitchen door and found his future wife sitting at the end of their breakfast table, a steaming cup of coffee placed in between her hands. However, this was not Jake took notice of as his wife's eyes were beat red; even her usual golden locks that flowed graciously down her back were strung out as if she had been ripping it apart from her very scalp.

"Honey, what is it," Jake asked his wife; he was now consumed with both worry and fear, his accomplishment of finding the perfect gift was gone from his mind.

"We need to talk," she replied in a surprisingly even voice. "Please, I need you to sit down."

Jake did as he was told, sitting across the table from her. She looked down into her coffee mug as Jake noticed the wide, empty distance that was situated in between the two young people.

"What is it…what's wrong, Sophia," Jake asked again.

She shook her head from side to side slightly as if shaking away any empty spaces or pretenses that might've built up since she had been sitting there, thinking lonely thoughts.

"There is something I have to ask you and I need you to be completely honest with me," Sophia started.

"Anything," Jake said at once.

"Have you been cheating on me?" Her question of words rung loud and clear in his mind and yet it shocked him to his core. Frozen without any trace of resignation, Jake could not find the words he needed to speak.

"I thought so," she replied quietly, "The look on your face gives you away."

After a few moments of silence, Jake finally found his voice though his question came as a croak, "Where did this come from?"

"I guess I always had my doubts for reasons left unexplained but when I saw you kiss another woman in your office when I came to visit you today at lunch…well, that confirmed everything."

Jake was still in several shocked states; his receptionist never informed him of his wife's visit though he did notice his receptionist had suddenly turned a great deal colder towards him later in the afternoon.

"I don't know what to say," Jake replied, looking at his supposed future wife. "I feel awful."

"You know, I've been sitting here, thinking if there was a way to rectify this situation one way or another. Right before you came home, though, I had an epiphany of sorts wondering maybe this wasn't supposed to work out. I admit I'm still deeply hurt but I keep asking myself, 'Why would there not be hurt if love wasn't a factor at play?' Maybe…this wasn't meant to be."

Jake tore his gaze away from Sophia and down at the table…the wide, empty space between him and the girl he was supposed to marry.

"Maybe the honeymoon stage has finally caught up to us," Jake nearly whispered, not trusting his voice to remain firm and strong in his dawning depression.

Sophia gave a slight chuckle as she replied, "Maybe…or maybe we should have stayed friends instead of pretending we had actually fallen in love. We played this game of 'house' for nearly two years but I think it's time to put the 'house' up for sale."

Jake couldn't look his fiancé in her deep, green eyes; it would shed his lingering tears. "I never meant to hurt you."

"I know," Sophia said, shaking her head, "It's not like you to cheat which is why I wonder why you did it in the first place."

Jake had no answer to give so he instead hung his head, feeling the weight of loneliness creeping up on his shoulders.

"I'm going to move back with my mother, for now; I felt this had to be said in person rather than a note or a text message or an e-mail."

Sophia suddenly stood up, leaving her coffee mug sitting on the table, and grabbed a small suitcase Jake did not notice before. Before walking out the kitchen door, Sophia turned and said, "I forgive you, you know, for everything that has happened. We were both young and we thought we have love figured out but…we didn't. I think it would be best if you could also forgive yourself too."

Jake heard the quiet shutting of the front door a few moments later. He sat there in silence, wondering how a nearly perfect day had turned into doom and gloom when the night came. Refusing to let tears fall, Jake finally subdued to letting another thousand pound weight settle onto his shoulders: it would be a long road to recovery…if recovery was meant to be.

Miles away, hours before the break-up was to take place, the Hogwarts Express was chugging along its train tracks, issuing black steam from its engine that blew into the cloudy sky.

"I still can't believe old Snivellus is a teacher; how on earth did you two put with him for over six years is something I will never understand," James said.

"Trust me, it isn't as easy as it sounds," Harry replied, looking over at a younger version of his father.

"I'll bet," he replied softly, more to himself than to Harry or Hermione.

Suddenly, their car door swung open and in walked Ron and Ginny Weasley. The two red-headed siblings looked over at James with mild curiosity before taking seats across from Harry and Hermione.

"Who's this," Ron asked Hermione, quite forcefully, Harry thought to himself irritably, as he pointed at James.

"Oh, this is Miriam Guilde," Hermione answered, "He's in Ravenclaw."

"What kind of name is 'Miriam'," Ron asked, looking over at James.

"Ron, don't be so callus," Ginny said, giving him a stern stare, "I think it's a lovely name."

James started to look uncomfortable as he rubbed the back of his head and muttered, "Uh, thanks."

Harry smirked knowingly as he could not help but wonder at Hermione's charms of making James look…well not like James at all. For one, his messy brown hair (the hair that matched that of Harry's) turned into wavy dirty blonde locks while his eyes turned a deep shade of midnight blue.

Hermione had insisted on removing James' glasses but he outright refused, telling her it was be a loss of his 'identity.' Hermione merely huffed but did not remove his glasses as she changed the rest of his general appearance.

While James grew more uncomfortable with each passing minute (Ron's eyes never left his), Harry was remembering what had happened after he and Hermione had found James back I Professor McGonagall's classroom:

"Anyway, I'll write to my parents later on tomorrow and ask them if it's alright if the two of you can stay over winter break," Hermione said to both Harry and James in their Transfiguration classroom. "I'm sure it will be no problem."

"And why is that," James asked, looking curiously at Hermione.

At his question, she turned a deep red and mumbled, "Oh…um…well, I tend to talk about Harry somewhat."

"And nothing about me," James tased.

At this, she rolled her eyes and replied, "I'll just tell my parents you are Harry's cousin; that should work seeing how alike the two of you are in appearance."

"Yes, I've always wondered about that," James started, turning to look at Harry, "I could almost say you look like a distant relative of mine or even my son, if I ever had, well I guess it would be have, one."

"Yeah, go figure," Harry said lamely. "Anyway, do you think Dumbledore could have Ministry guards protecting your home," Harry asked, trying to steer the conversation away from how alike he and James looked.

"Wait, why would Dumbledore need to station any guards around your home, Hermione," James intervened, looking from Harry to Hermione with a puzzled expression on his face.

Hermione looked over at Harry warily with a look that said, 'We have to tell him about Voldemort.' And so they did; Hermione, with little tidbits of information from Harry, regaled to James how Lord Voldemort had returned.

"You mean, that lunatic was once nearly dead?"

"What do you mean," Hermione asked.

"Well, you keep saying that he has now returned; he can only return if he was away, right? So does that mean his power fell?"

"Well…something like that; I mean, I don't have the specifics or anything; the important thing now is that Voldemort has returned," Hermione stated, her voice stammering.

James looked down at the stone floor for a long moment before he asked, "But why would Dumbledore want to station Ministry guards at your house, Hermione? It's not like he's doing this for every student, right?"

Hermione gave James a sobering look before she sighed loudly and said, "Because…Harry is the prime target."

James' eyes widened in shock as he stared blankly over at Hermione then slowly turned his head to look at Harry.

"She's joking, right," James asked, trying to believe Hermione was lying to him. "I mean, why would Voldemort be after you?"

"I know it's hard to believe, even for me," Harry started, "But there was a prophecy mentioned about Voldemort marking one as his equal and through situations unknown, he chose me," Harry finished.

James opened his mouth, then closed it, then opened it again, and then closed it again; he seemed to be at a loss for what to say.

"Well, I just want you to know Harry that I'll help you in any way I can," James finally said.

Harry gave him a tight smile and replied, "Thanks…t-that means a lot."

Hermione was smiling at the both of them as she clasped her hands together softly and said, "Well, now that that's out of the way, James, we need to find you a place to sleep tonight since we are not leaving until tomorrow."

"I guess sleeping in here is out of the question," he asked her sarcastically.

"Well, actually, no it's not but I think I have a better idea," Hermione said, motioning for Harry and James to follow her in which they did.

Hermione walked down long, empty corridors and up several flights of stairs before she was standing in front of a blank stretch of wall on the seventh floor. She closed her eyes while placing her hands behind her back and started pacing in front of the expanse.

"What is she doing," James asked Harry quietly as to not break her out of her stupor.

"I've no idea," Harry replied, looking at Hermione with increasing interest.

Suddenly, to the shock of both Harry and James, a door suddenly appeared right out of the once blank wall.

"Hermione, what did you do," James asked, looking at the door with heightened wonder.

"Just hurry up and get inside before anyone sees you," she whispered reverently, opening the door and disappearing inside.

Once inside, Harry looked around in awe and saw a quite large room with a huge bed inside. There was a roaring fireplace on the far right in which a beautiful painting of a quiet breeze running across a lake hung overhead.

"I thought this would be a more comfortable option from which to sleep tonight," Hermione said, gesturing around the room. "Rather than putting a couple of desks together in Professor McGonagall's classroom."

"Well, actually, the floor, I hear, provides quite the comfort," James replied, "But, here will do just fine," he finished after seeing the look on Hermione's face.

"Hermione, what room is this," Harry asked.

"This is the Room of Requirement also known as the Come and Go Room; this room appears only when someone has a great need of it."

"This is magnificent," James said at large. "I never knew this room even existed before."

"Yes, it does come quite in handy actually," Hermione stated. "Well, it's best to get comfortable James and try and get some sleep after what happened tonight. Harry and I will be back tomorrow morning to come and get you."

"Yeah, that sounds good," he said distractedly, still taking in the room with an awestruck expression on his face. "Um, good night then."

"'Night," replied both Harry and Hermione in unison. Shutting the door softly behind her, Hermione and Harry walked down a long corridor in silence.

"Hermione," Harry asked suddenly, "Do you think the party is still going on?"

Hermione stopped suddenly and said, "Oh, shoot, the party! We've left both Ron and Ginny alone!"

"Well, actually, Ron didn't look too alone the last time I saw-," Harry started but he was cut off by Hermione.

"Harry, we can't just avoid them…we have to tell them something about why we ditched them," Hermione said, her nervousness starting to take over.

"In my mind, I don't really mind if I ever talk to them again seeing as how they're playing us," Harry responded bitterly.

"No, Harry, we mustn't! We're not supposed to know anything about that."

"But the fact is, Hermione, is that we do know about that. Why are you standing up for them?"  
"I'm not standing up for them, I'm simply stating that we shouldn't abandon them; they could be part of this whole plan all along."

"What plan are you talking about," Harry asked, looking over at her as if she lost her mind.

"Harry, I didn't mention this in front of James as it would have led to a whole other batch of questions but I have a feeling that that man that attacked us tonight was the one who attacked us back in Hogsmeade."

At this, Harry stopped walking and looked at Hermione again though this time, he thought she might've sniffed out a lone trail and caught the scent.

"So you think these two attacks are related to one another," Harry asked quietly.

"Yes, I do, Harry which makes everyone who knows us prone to either get hurt or aiding the perpetuator."

"So then, this attacker is after us then," Harry replied, already knowing the answer before fully asking his question.

"We have to stick close to Ron and Ginny, even though they're trying to play us like a pair of love-stick gargoyles, they could know something we don't."

Down in his heart, Harry knew Hermione was right; however, that still did not change the fact that he did not like to be around Ginny and he further didn't like the fact that Ron was trying to make Hermione fall in love with him.

"Okay, we'll do that and see what happens from there," Harry replied, nodding his head. Hermione gave him an understanding smile.

Harry, with a sudden urgent need, took Hermione's hand in his, swung her around and kissed her on the lips.

Breaking apart slowly, Harry said, "I know this isn't the most romantic time or place to kiss you but, well, I just felt like I needed to."

Hermione laughed quietly which sounded like the notes of heaven to Harry's ears. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and without another word, she pulled him closer again.

Harry practically waltzed into his Gryffindor dormitory that night after sharing (another) kiss with Hermione before parting ways for the night.

Opening the door, Harry heard, "Oi, where in the bloody have you been?"

Harry looked around, startled by the sudden distraction (his mind was drifting elsewhere with Hermione by his side) when his eyes fell upon Ron, who looked rather disgruntled, much to Harry's secret pleasure.

"Um, what was that," Harry asked.

"I asked where you have been. Ginny's nearly about to hex anyone that might have a shred of evidence as to where you ran off to; she nearly hexed Trelawney!"

"Did she," Harry asked as he changed into his pajamas.

"No, but nearly; she's pretty scary when she wants to be. Anyway, did you notice that Hermione ran off to? Ginny thinks the two of you took off together but I don't think so," Ron said.

"Well you're right about that; Hermione told me she didn't feel too well and decided to head back," Harry replied.

"So…where did you go," Ron asked again.

"I decided to take a short walk around the castle," Harry lied, praying Ron would buy it though Harry thought the excuse was rather lame. "Trying to jog my memory and all."

"So you still can't remember much," Ron asked.

"Well, sometimes I have instances where I'll see something and I'll have a hazy vision of it in my mind but so far, my memory is still not back," Harry replied truthfully. "Anyway, I'm sure it's all a matter of time."

"Say Harry, mum invited you to stay over the holiday; Ginny practically told me to beg you to accept her invitation," Ron said.

"I'm sorry mate but I already agreed to stay at Hermione's place," Harry said, turning to face Ron who looked confused.

"You'd rather stay at Hermione's place than at the Burrow? Why would you do that," Ron asked.

"Because Dumbledore thinks it would be better for me to stay with the Grangers as their muggles; he doesn't expect Death Eaters to come knocking on the door of a muggle residence."

"Man…Ginny is going to be crushed," Ron replied softly.

Harry stared blankly at Ron and shrugged his shoulders not thinking of anything to say in reply.

"Well, I'm sure Hermione told Ginny already…that's if Hermione is feeling any better," Ron said.

"Yeah, I guess so," Harry replied, climbing between the sheets of his four-poster bed. Without saying 'good night,' Harry drifted off into a deep sleep.

Awaking the next morning, Harry packed his trunk as quickly as possible and departed from his dormitory just as Ron was waking up back into reality from his slumber.

Harry met Hermione down in the common room. "Good morning, Harry," she said, seeing him hop down the staircase.

"Hello, Hermione, are you ready to go," Harry asked. She nodded her head and the pair left the Gryffindor common room to go to James.

"Did Ginny say anything to you last night," Harry asked, looking over at his best friend.

"No but Lavender told me when she got back from Professor Slughorn's party that Ginny was in a right state; she wouldn't talk to anybody; she just went up to her dormitory crying."

Harry, who would normally feel bad about those state of events, felt that his sympathy was rather limited concerning the two Weasley siblings.

"Ron told me last night that Mrs. Weasley invited me to stay at the Burrow over the break; he said Ginny was looking forward to it."

Hermione looked over at Harry and asked, "And what did you say to him?"

"That I already agreed to stay with you," Harry replied simply.

"I wonder how Ginny is going to take that," Hermione thought out loud, "I imagine she won't be very happy."

"Probably not but at this point, we have more important matters to deal with…like how my father came back to our time, or I guess it would be, how my father traveled into our own time seeing as he's from the past," Harry said softly.

"I don't know; I ran past different theories all night but I found myself running in circles. None of this makes any sense when you try and piece everything together: us going back in time to 1976, getting attacked by some unknown assailant in Hogsmeade, both Ron and Ginny plotting behind our backs, James traveling to 1996, and getting attacked again in the Great Hall…it just seems like we're living different lives."

Harry nodded in response as another thought sprung into his mind. "Say Hermione, do you think we could ever tell James that, well you know that I'm his son. Have you ever thought about what we would say or how he would react?"

"Well, I imagine he would recommend the two of us to visit St. Mungo's for spell damage to the mind, actually. I don't know about any repercussions of one to travel into the future although I would imagine there are some. I just don't know what kind of impact James will have seeing as he's traveled into the future. I mean, at some point, he has to go back as he doesn't belong in 1996."

"Why are things suddenly so complicated; I just don't understand it all," Harry said, rubbing his temples.

"Truthfully, things have always been complicated, especially around you, Harry, but these complications are the facts of life. It is just something we have to figure out," Hermione replied.

"So I guess that means we rule out telling Dumbledore about James then?"

"For now, yes; as I've said before, I'm positive Professor Dumbledore has had something to do with everything that has happened; I just don't know what," Hermione replied as she and Harry found the lone expanse of blank concrete on the seventh floor corridor.

Hermione shut her eyes and walked back and forth three times, thinking the exact same thoughts she did the night before to find James a place to sleep for the night. Opening her eyes, she smiled when she saw a door materialize right before them.

Pushing the door open, Hermione rolled her eyes as she walked in the room and saw James still fast asleep, his soft snores mixing in with the now-dying fireplace.

"Honestly, he's still sleeping? It's nearly seven in the morning," Hermione cried out, throwing her hands up in the air.

Harry ducked around her and walked over to James' bed. Reaching out a hand, Harry tried to shake his father awake; James did not stir an inch at Harry's touch.

Harry again tried shaking his father's sleeping form yet he still got no response. 'I didn't know he was such a heavy sleeper,' Harry thought to himself as he tried to wake his father for the third time.

"Hermione, we're going to need to do something else- ," but Harry was cut off at that instant as Hermione had yelled, " _AGUAMENTI MAXIMA_!"

A huge burst of water flew out of the tip of Hermione's wand and slammed James directly in the face.

Crying out, James tossed violently around and tumbled backwards off one side of his bed.

"James…are you alright," Hermione called out hesitantly.

"That wake-up call could do with a little morning warning next time, Granger," James said, standing to his feet and rubbing his shoulder.

"Sorry," Hermione said, "But honestly, it's quite late in the day."

"Well what time is it," James asked, shoving his glasses on his face.

"About seven in the morning," Harry replied.

"What?! It's only seven? Why on earth are you two doing up so early? We don't even have any classes to go to!"

"We don't but we have to change your appearance," Hermione explained, stepping forward with her wand drawn.

However, James took a step back, his hands held out before him as if to defend himself against Hermione's soon-to-be onslaught.

"Why, I mean, do we really have to change my appearance? It's not like many people here would know what I look like," James reasoned.

"Well, maybe not students but if a professor happens to see you out and about, I'm sure that would raise some suspicion," Hermione shot back, taking another step forward.

James took another step backward as he replied, "Well, maybe they would think it was just a trick of the eye."

"Maybe but we can't take that chance, James. I won't change you completely…just a little tweaks here and there."

Harry was brought out of his stupor as he heard Ginny's voice. "Harry? Harry, can you hear me?"

Harry shook his head and saw everyone in the compartment staring at him. "I'm sorry, what did you say?"

Ginny huffed and repeated, "I was asking if you could make time to stop by the Burrow over the holiday; I'm sure mum would appreciate it."

"She wouldn't be the only one," Harry heard James mutter to Hermione to which she turned her head to avoid laughing out loud.

"I don't know, Ginny, maybe, maybe not," Harry replied, thinking he would most definitely not be visiting the Burrow over the break.

"Well, just give it a few days; everyone is coming back you know," Ginny said, "There's Bill and Fleur, Charlie also is coming back from Romania, he hasn't been back in ages, then there's Fred and George too. Percy is still being a right prat and most likely won't make any time to see his family but who cares," Ginny said, waving her hand in the air nonchalantly.

"The only one that will be missing…is you, Harry; you do know that you're welcome to the Burrow anytime, right?"

Harry nodded his head but decided not to say anything for Ginny might take it the wrong way, seeing as has been prone to do things of that nature lately.

The Hogwarts Expressed roared along its tracks, nearing closer and closer to London by the second. Soon, the train finally pulled into King's Cross, where thankfully, Harry would be getting a much needed break from Ginny pawing over him every other minute.

As the students filed out of the compartment and down onto platform 9 ¾, Harry saw Hermione running over to a man and a woman who looked totally unfamiliar to him; he deduced those were her parents, the Grangers. He saw Hermione beckon him over as James was already near them.

Before Harry could reach his destination, he was steered away with surprising force by none other than Mrs. Weasley.

"Harry, my dear, I don't know if you heard but I invited you to stay with us, at the Burrow, for winter break; isn't that wonderful! Now where's your trunk, it's best to get going now, dear," she said.

"I'm sorry, Mrs. Weasley, but I've already made other plans for the holiday," Harry replied, pulling out of her grasp and not feeling sorry in the slightest.

"What's that my dear," she asked though Harry knew she had heard every word of what he had just said.

"I said that I already have plans: I'm staying with Hermione's family," he replied.

Mrs. Weasley looked at him uncertainly for a second then recovered and said, "And does Professor Dumbledore know of this?"

"Yes, he does; he actually liked the idea of it," Harry replied.

"Are you sure you heard him right though, Harry? Perhaps he said something else but you took it the wrong way," she suggested, trying to wrap an arm around his shoulders again.

Harry pulled out of her grasp again and said, "No, I'm positive I heard him right, actually. I'll be going now, the Grangers are waiting." And without another reply or a backward glance, Harry heaved his trunk over to Hermione, her parents, and the still transformed James.

"Harry, I would like to you meet my parents, Daniel and Emily Granger; mum and dad, this is Harry Potter."  
"Ah, Harry, we've heard so much about you over the years; it's quite the pleasure to finally meet you," Daniel, better known as Dan to his wife, said to Harry, shaking his hand.

"Uh, thank you, it's nice to meet you two," Harry replied, shaking Mrs. Granger's hand afterwards.

"Well come along, come along, let's get you three home then," Mr. Granger said, grabbing both Harry and Hermione's trunks.

"James, where is your trunk," Mrs. Granger asked, looking around for the non-existent item.

"Uh, it's all packed in with Harry's, actually. We thought it was better to have just one trunk, you know, being brothers and all," James said quickly.

"Brothers? Hermione, you never mentioned Harry having a brother," Mrs. Granger said, turning to look at her daughter.

"Oh didn't I? How silly of me…Harry and James were never close, maybe that's why; they actually only became friends this year," Hermione said, before giving James a cold glare.

"Well okay then, let's get going," Mrs. Granger finalized, following her husband through the barrier and back in Muggle London.

Before Harry stepped through the barrier, he heard Hermione say, "Oh, that went well, James, very well."

"What was I supposed to do? Tell them I'm Harry's f- ,"

Harry stepped through the barrier, laughing quietly to himself. Moments later, he was following by Hermione and then James and the five ventured out into the parking lot to find the Granger's car.

Harry was looking out the window of the Granger's car and saw they were traveling down a narrow road with cars parked besides the curb; the road was so narrow that Harry thought not even two cars could get by without scarping into each other.

Mr. Granger than pulled into a wide lane leading up to a quite large two-story house. Stepping out of the car, Harry looked around and saw how green the grass was and how it was all the same length; there was no shred of grass longer than another. Pink, red, and velvet flowers lined the path leading up to a front porch, which housed a small table along with two chairs.

Passing through the front door, Harry then found himself in a large foyer, in which a winding staircase led up to the second floor. In the foyer, there was a small vanity in which pictures of Hermione and her parents stood on top of; Harry smiled at each one he looked at, watching Hermione age from a cute adolescent child into the Hermione he knew today.

The whole feel of the Granger household felt so warm and open to him; almost as if the house was welcoming him into its outstretched arms. Harry never thought anything would be able to take the place of Hogwarts castle in terms of comfortableness but the house of the Grangers definitely came in close proximity to it.

"Hermione, how about you show Harry and James up to the two guestrooms while Dad and I start on dinner," Mrs. Granger said to Hermione in a kind, loving manner.

"Sure that sounds good," Hermione replied, motioning for Harry and James to follow her up the staircase and onto the second landing. "Let's see, okay, here," Hermione said, opening a door, "Is for you, James, and this one," Hermione said, opening the door next to it, "Will be where Harry will be sleeping."

"Uh, Hermione," James asked.

"What is it, James?"

"Can Harry and I switch bedrooms? His looks a litter bigger," James asked with a serious expression on his face.

Hermione, though, saw right through his fib and placed her hands on her hips and asked, "Honestly? How old are you, four?"

As Harry laughed loudly and James smirked, Hermione rolled her eyes and walked towards one end of the second floor.

"Now this door," she said, pointing to a closed door, "Is the bathroom, and this one," Hermione said, pointing to another, "Is my bedroom."

"Can we go in," James asked, taking a step forward.

"Uh, I guess you can," Hermione said, turning the knob of her bedroom door and pushing it open.

Harry and James stepped inside and saw quite the ordinary bedroom: a well-kept bed stood against one wall, covered in purple bed sheets; a desk stood against another wall with not even a sheet of paper out of place; then, not to Harry's surprise, a bookshelf was situated against a window, the piece of furniture covered with books.

Harry noticed James had walked over to a mirror residing beside Hermione's dresser; looking at his reflection he asked, "Hermione, when did you say these charms will wear off?"

"I didn't," she replied, looking over at him.

When she did not elaborate further, he turned, cocked an eyebrow upward and said, "Well, are you going to tell me?"

"If you want to know," she responded, a small smirk forming on her face.

"Well I want to know," James said, folding his arms over his chest.

"The charms should wear off after dinner," she said.

"And won't your parents wonder about my changing appearance," James asked.

"Well, yeah, but they obviously know about magic, James," Hermione stated.

"That's not what I meant. What I mean is that they saw this version of me," he said, looking down at himself, "But soon, they'll see a different version of me. Don't you think they'll start asking questions?"

"I know they will; my parents are very perceptive of nearly everything," Hermione started.

"Yeah, they're not the only ones," James mumbled.

"Anyway," Hermione pressed on, pretending she didn't hear James, "We can tell them we were practicing our charms before we left Hogwarts is all."

James shrugged his shoulders, seeming to comply with Hermione's plan as she turned to Harry and asked, "So what do you think, Harry?"

"I think everything is great, Hermione; you have no idea how grateful I am that you invited us to stay over the holiday," Harry replied.

"I know my house can't offer the magic the Burrow can but I just hoped it would be welcoming…to the both of you," Hermione said.

Before either of them could respond, a loud voice called out, "Dinner is ready!"

"Oh, let's go then," James said, "I'm starving!"

As Hermione followed James out of her bedroom, Harry smiled to himself and thought that, even though he had been in the Granger household for not even an hour, he thought of it as a home away from home.

As Harry descended the stairs onto the first-floor landing, he wished for one ordinary Christmas break; Harry would soon find out how ordinary Muggles can really be.


	27. A Muggle Christmas

Harry Potter and a Marauder Revival

Author's Note: Hello all! I hope you enjoy Chapter 27 of "Harry Potter and a Marauder Revival!" Chapter 28 will be posted **TUESDAY NIGHT!** This chapter is my longest yet but there was so much to include; just a heads up, the following chapter will also be quite long. Again, thank you to everyone who has reviewed thus far; it really means a lot. Feel free to leave a review for this chapter if you wish!

Chapter 27: A Muggle Christmas

"I do hope both of you can settle in quite nicely here," Mrs. Granger said at dinner, as the Granger family along with Harry and James tucked into their kidney and steak dinner. "I know our home is nothing like the mansions of Belgravia but if you two need anything, anything at all, please don't be afraid to ask any one of us," she finished kindly.

Harry, having no idea what the mansions of Belgravia looked like, replied, "Thanks, Mrs. Granger, for inviting James and I again."

"Oh, it's no problem at all, Harry," she smiled, "In fact, I think it was time that we met the famous Harry Potter; Hermione never stops talking about you over the summer holidays."

Harry and James turned in unison to look over at Hermione who had flashed an immediate red as she said softly, "Mum, please."

As James smirked into his food, Harry said, "Well, there's not much to tell, really…at least, not in my mind there isn't."

"And what about you, James, Hermione's told us nothing of you dear," Mrs. Granger said, turning her attention over to James.

At this, James poked his head back up and said, "Well, the reason you haven't heard much about me is that Hermione and I were never close friends before. But she's definitely helped me out of some sticky situations and I now consider her a friend of mine. Also, she helped me fall in love with the girl of my dreams."

Harry looked over at James to see him gather a faraway look in his hazel eyes. Harry then peeked over at Hermione who was looking at James as she rolled her own eyes.

"And who might be the girl of your dreams; certainly not my Hermione," Mr. Granger questioned suddenly, fixing James a stern glare.

"Oh, most certainly not," James replied at once, then seeing the expressions cross over the face of the Grangers, he reprimanded, "Not that Hermione isn't attractive or anything."

"You think my daughter is attractive? Need I remind you she's much too young for dating or anything of the sort," Mr. Granger said, setting his knife and fork down.

James looked as if he was backed into a small corner by a large dragon. "No, no, no, I didn't mean it like that!"

James grew wide-eyed at how fast the situation had turned around. He, however, was saved by Mrs. Granger who scolded, "Dan, please, give James a break! You are making such a fuss out of nothing!"

At his wife's words, Daniel Granger slowly picked up his knife and fork, while still looking at James with growing mistrust; James gulped loudly.

"Now, James, why don't you tell us about this very special girl," Mrs. Granger asked, giving her husband a warning glare for him to not intervene.

James' shoulders relaxed slightly as he sighed and said, "Well, she's like any other girl, really, but she's incredibly smart. She's perhaps the brightest witch of her age and yet, for a long time, she looked at me as if I was nothing more than a speck of dirt."

"I like her already," Dan yelled loudly, giving the table a small _thump_ of his first and looking at occupants of the table with a wide smile.

"Dan," his wife scolded before turning her attention back to James.

But James continued as if he hadn't heard what Mr. Granger had said; he continued, "I guess I never really had the right attitude at school for her to notice me; I had thought she would just be ordinarily attracted to me like many other girls were. It wasn't really until Harry and Hermione showed me that compassion goes a long way."

"Oh yes, dear, you should never be afraid to showcase your true feelings; you just might never find out who your real match should be if you don't," Mrs. Granger said. "What does she look like," she asked as she cut into her steak.

At this question, James' smile grew even wider (if that was ever possible, Harry thought to himself), as he said, "She's pretty beyond anything I have ever seen. She has long and bright red hair; she has beautiful green eyes that look as the deepest part of the unexplored oceans on earth; and she has a smile that could light up all of London." James rested his head on his hand, a goofy smile fixed upon his face.

"Well, she sounds like quite the catch for then, James," Mrs. Granger said, nearly laughing at the expression on his face.

"Yes, she most definitely is," he replied. The table was quiet for a moment when James suddenly snapped back into reality, his smile slowly disappearing off of his face. "I just hope she knows how much I truly like her."

Surprising everyone at the table, Mr. Granger took the lead and told him, "You'd be surprised at the small things women do in fact notice. In different times, the women usually looked for the men to take the lead…however, it differs with every generation. She might be waiting for you or you might be waiting for her."

James looked at him with confusion on his face, "I don't understand; I'm pretty sure of myself that I like her."

"So you believe, but that doesn't mean she can see it. It's important to remember that we are all human, in one way or another, and with that comes the ability of making mistakes for no human is anywhere near perfect. Yes, you may have changed your attitude to suit to her liking but that does not mean she knows you like her."

"Well, she did seem pretty sure of herself," James said, "I mean, we did kiss and all," he added, blushing a deep crimson.

"It's also important to remember that a kiss is just one action out of many to express your true emotions. It is true that in a kiss, one can pour in a lot of meaning and unspoken words, but true love might take you by surprise; for example, when I realized I first loved my then girlfriend, it wasn't with a kiss at all."

"What was it, dad," Hermione asked, her curiosity piqued.

He smiled as he replied, "It was me feeling lonely."

At his words, Harry, James, and Hermione all said in unison, "What?"

Mr. Granger laughed a deep laugh as Mrs. Granger herself gave a small chuckle. Mr. Granger looked into his wife's eyes and explained, "I felt lonely without her, almost as if I would be forever blind to the sun. My heart ached for companionship, but companionship only with her; no one else would do. She was the only person, up until that point in time, which could make me feel completely hollow with her absent.

"Every night, I would sit up and think about what she was doing at that particular time: was she just as lonely as I felt? Was she thinking about another man in which to go on another date with? All of these thoughts ran through my mind until I was driving myself mad. I said that if Emily were to choose another man, I would be happy for her but in my heart, I knew I would never be truly happy. You see, Emily is someone who I can never spend my life without; she was the one for me, totally, completely, and forever."

At the end of his story, tears were streaming down Mrs. Granger's face as Hermione's eyes started to well up; Harry and James had smiles on their faces that matched those of Mr. Granger.

Love, thought Harry, is complicated and near impossible to understand yet, when you fall in love, a spark plug will forever emit inside of you.

Mrs. Granger hastily dabbed at her eyes with her napkin and said in a hoarse voice, "Well, do you kids still want dessert? I believe we have some, let me go check." As she departed from the table, Harry could tell she had a warm smile on her face.

Soon after, Mr. Granger stood to his feet and walked into the kitchen leaving the three Gryffindors alone at the dinner table.

"Well that was certainly…raw," James said, looking in turn at Harry and then at Hermione.

"Oh it was so romantic," Hermione sighed, having a faraway look in her eyes James had had before.

Harry, however, was certainly interested in this girl his father had described as he assumed he was talking about his mother.

"Say James," Harry started, turning to look at him, "What is the name of this girl that you fancy?"

"Her name is Lily," he replied, looking at Harry. "I've always thought that her eyes were the greenest I had ever seen until I met you; both of your eyes practically match, don't you think, Hermione?"

The faraway gaze Hermione had in her eyes mere moments ago retreated almost instantly as she assessed James' question.

"As a matter of fact, I've seen some eyes that were as green as Harry and Lily's," she said, laughing lightly and grabbed her glass to take a sip of her water.

"Really? Hmm, that's certainly interesting but not impossible I guess," he replied, giving Hermione a strange look.

Suddenly, a knock was heard at the front door. Before any of them could move, Mr. Granger walked out of the kitchen and said, "I'll get it."

As Mr. Granger disappeared from view, Harry asked, "James, you look like yourself again."

James' face lit up with certain excitement as he asked, "Really?" Not waiting for Harry's reply, James picked up his spoon off of his dinner plate, looking at his own reflection.

Footsteps were heard as Mr. Granger reappeared with a young girl at his side; she had shoulder-length brown hair and, Harry noticed, she was carrying a wand in her right hand.

At once, Harry stood to his feet when Hermione suddenly cried out, "Tonks!" Hermione rushed around the dinner table to greet her, much to the confusion of both Harry and James.

It was James as he spoke first, asking, "Hermione, do you know this lady?"

Hermione turned to look at him as she retorted, "No, James, I just made up some name in my head and went over to greet a complete stranger."

As Harry laughed lightly at this, Tonks looked over at him and said, "Wotcher, Harry. How's your head…I hear you took a nasty tumble down a flight of stairs."

"He isn't the only one," Harry heard James mutter quietly; however, Hermione seemed to have heard him as she was giving James a dark look.

"Tonks, this is James, he is Harry's cousin," Hermione explained, pointing to James.

"I thought Harry had no existing blood-relatives," Tonks asked.

"Yes, well, James pretty much just popped into existence," Hermione laughed without any humor.

With all of this sudden commotion, Mrs. Granger came out of the kitchen. As her eyes fell upon Tonks, she gasped in surprise and said, "Oh, we have another visitor! Hello, my name is Emily Granger," she said, walking over to their unexpected guest, holding out her hand.

"My name is Tonks," the auror replied, shaking Mrs. Granger's hand gently.

"Well, I wasn't expecting anyone tonight but do have extra food available if you're hungry."

"That's a grateful offer, Mrs. Granger, but I have already eaten," Tonks replied.

"Oh, please, please, call me Emily," Mrs. Granger replied with a warm smile. "What can we help you with tonight?"

"I am actually here on the Ministry of Magic's orders. I have a few things to discuss with all of you," Tonks said.

"Of course, why don't we move into the family room," Mr. Granger suggested, gesturing out his hand. At this, the party of six moved into the family room where Harry spotted a large Christmas tree. Sweet memories of he and Hermione sharing their first kiss (according to Harry's memory) in the midst of a tree farm within the Great Hall surfaced in his mind, bringing a smile to his face.

Harry, James, and Hermione sat on one couch, with Harry and James looking up at the Christmas tree that dominated one entire corner of the family room; its white lights were twinkling merrily as small decorations hung from its branches; Harry also noticed a small pile of presents were already gathered at the base of the tree.

As Mr. and Mrs. Granger occupied another couch, Tonks stood in front of them and started, "I have been instructed here to inform you all by the Ministry of Magic that throughout the duration of the winter break, an auror, as myself, will stand guard and protect your home as well as its occupants."

"What is an auror," Harry asked.

Tonks looked over at him and smiled as she replied, "An auror is a dark-wizard catcher, Harry, almost like a Muggle police force if you will."

"And why will our house need protection," Mr. Granger asked, looking at Tonks with skepticism.

Tonks turned to look at Harry and Hermione for a brief moment and then returned her attention back to the Grangers and replied, "I only do as the Ministry instructs me to do, Mr. Granger. It so happens that I have already met both Harry and Hermione before."

"And is your Ministry putting up guards at the homes of other students," Mr. Granger asked.

"That knowledge is not available to me," she responded curtly; however her tone of voice was laced with a hint of impatience.

Mr. Granger continued to look at Tonks as Mrs. Granger asked, "Are we to believe our family is in danger over the winter break, Tonks?"

"To the best of our knowledge, no, your family is perfectly safe. However, it is important to take any necessary precautions just to be safe. Magical wards have already been placed around the boundaries of your home," she replied, giving Mrs. Granger a warm smile to which she returned.

"And how often will we have a guard protecting our home," Mr. Granger intervened.

"At all hours of the day; however, you should know that we will not disrupt your day-to-day activities; in fact, you, or your neighbors, won't see us at all unless absolutely necessary."

Mr. and Mrs. Granger traded slightly nervous glances with one another before turning their attention to Hermione.

"Hermione, does any of this sound bizarre to you," Mr. Granger asked, "As you know more about the world of wizards than either of us do."

"No, it doesn't," she said, "And I do know, Tonks: she's the best of the best." Tonks smiled down at her, her hair turning a bright red.

This did not go unnoticed by the occupants of the room as James was the first to cry out, "Y-your hair just changed color!"

Tonks's hair, if possible, turned an even deeper red at James' comments and stood in front of everyone in the room who was gawking at her like some zoo animal save Hermione.

The Gryffindor lioness got to her feet and stood in front of Tonks where her arms folded across her chest, acting like a bodyguard.

"Listen, Tonks is a Metamorphmagus which means she has the ability to change her physical appearance at will; it's an extremely rare quality to possess even in the wizarding world," Hermione explained to the room at large. "So if you would please stop staring at her as if you've never seen a Metamorphmagus before."

"Well I've never seen a Metamorphmagus before," James inserted.

Hermione fixed her gaze on him as she said, "Well now you have."

As James furrowed his brows together at Hermione, Mrs. Granger stood up and said, "Well, I for one am glad to have you here, Tonks."

"Thank you very much, Mrs. Granger," she replied.

"Well, I have an idea, how about we all go outside and look at the lights down our street," Mrs. Granger suggested, clapping her hands in front of her.

"That sounds like a brilliant idea, mum," Hermione said, "Let's go and get on our jackets."

As they all stood to their feet, Tonks said, "Harry, may I have a quick word with you?"

Harry turned back and saw Tonks looking at him expectantly. "Sure," he replied, walking back towards her as the Grangers and James went into the foyer to put on their jackets.

"Harry, how much do you actually remember," she asked, looking at him.

He looked out of the French doors leading to the backyard of the Granger household and saw that it was snowing outside.

"Not much," he replied, "There are glimpses of things that suddenly come in my head but it's all very blurry. But Hermione filled me in with basically my whole life up until now."

For some reason that Harry could not explain, he felt very comfortable around Tonks even though he had just met her.

She nodded her head at him as he asked her, "Did Dumbledore ask the Ministry about placing guards at the Granger's house?"

"Yes, he did; after the death of Madam Bones a couple of months ago, the Magical Law Enforcement has been on the brink of disarray. Professor Dumbledore was quite assertive though about having at least one auror patrolling the perimeter of the house for the rest of the winter break," she replied.

"You don't think we're in any real danger, do you," he asked.

Tonks looked at him and said, "You're worried about intruding too much on the Granger's hospitality, right?" He nodded his head before she replied, "Harry, they're good people, you can just tell that they are by how they welcome you, James, and me; I wouldn't put too much worry on that.

"To answer your question, I don't believe we have any credible threats for this winter but with the Death Eaters following the commands of You-Know-Who, I wouldn't discredit any information that comes our way, and believe me, you will all know any information as it is received."

"Come on you two," came the voice of Mrs. Granger from somewhere in the foyer, "Best to be back before it gets too late!"

As Harry and Tonks walked out of the family room and into the foyer, Tonks asked, "You know, Harry, you and James look like identical twins. If I didn't know any better…," Tonks stopped mid-sentence and stared blankly in front of her.

"Um, Tonks, are you alright," Harry asked.

Tonks shook her head and laughed, saying, "But that would be impossible, right?"

Harry had a faint idea of what must be running through her head but he had no interest in partaking in that conversation that would soon come up.

Tonks seemed to have dropped the topic for now as the two of them walked into the foyer and shrugged on a pair of jackets.

"Now Tonks, before we go, is there anything we should be aware of," Mrs. Granger asked, her gloved hands once again clasped in front of her.

"I would advise us all to stick together," Tonks replied.

"Well it seems as if there are many people walking around outside looking at all of the Christmas lights," Mr. Granger said, turning away from the front window, "I take that as a positive sign!"

"Or it could be a negative one," Tonks said. "It is best to be on our guard just in case." With that, Tonks opened the front door as the Grangers, Harry, and James stepped out into the frigid December air.

Mr. and Mrs. Granger walked in front of the group down the street, followed by Hermione who was standing between Harry and James; Tonks followed closely behind the trio, her hand in her jacket pocket, no doubt holding her wand, Harry thought to himself.

The whole scene before them was a classic Christmas Harry had always envisioned: big houses lining the street many couples and young families were walking on, brandishing their displays of Christmas festivity under a light snowfall.

Houses were decorated with bright Christmas lights, twinkling merrily against the dark, cold night.

Hermione gasped suddenly as Harry and James tensed around her. As they both looked at her, they saw her gaze fixed to their left. Following her line of vision, their eyes fell upon an ornately decorated nativity scene.

"Oh, it's beautiful," Hermione breathed, staring transfixed at the exhibit. "It's so exquisite and beautiful."

Harry looked down at the nativity scene and smiled, seeing a baby in a manager surrounded by what he presumed to be the parents. Although Harry did not have both of his parents here with him at the present time, he could count his blessings as at least his father, James, was here with him this Christmas.

As they continued to walk on down the street, Harry held out his arm for Hermione to take; she obliged, intertwining her arms within his. The snow continued to fall as it seemed as if the entire street, with its rows of houses, all had something to display against the night.

As the party of six all turned around to head back towards the Granger's residence, Harry heard a heavenly collection of voices suddenly intrude his ear. Turning his head towards the source of the noise, Harry saw a small crowd starting to gather around something he was unable to see.

Without a word, the Grangers, Harry, James, and Tonks all wandered over to see what the source of the noise was coming from.

Looking over the shoulders of the crowd before them, they all laid eyes upon a group made up of young kids and older adults, singing merrily for the crowd they had attracted.

"Oh, Harry, they're Christmas carolers," Hermione said to him, her face lit up with excitement.

For the next four minutes, they all listened to the harmonious voices of a rendition of "Silent Night." The high vocals coming from the females mixing in with the low baritones of the males sounded incredible to Harry; he had heard nothing like that before in his life that he could remember.

Once the voices had ceased, the crowd cheered for them, clapping their hands at the joyful sounds the group had created moments before.

As the crowd broke away, James said to them, "Wow, I never saw or heard anything like that before."

"Me neither," Harry responded, "But I certainly liked it."

"James, how does your family usually spend your Christmas holiday," Hermione asked, her arm still linked in with Harry's.

"Oh, usually we exchange gifts in the morning as some relatives come over afterwards; mum then cooks a huge dinner and that's pretty much it. It sounds boring but it really isn't; it's kind of hard to explain…it's something you just have to feel for yourself," he finished.

Harry smiled over at James as he thought about how peaceful he was at the present time. Although many months were spent with Harry worrying over this new world he had awoken into, with the dangers and threats from Voldemort, his Death Eaters, and even the conniving schemes laid out by their supposed best friends, nothing could take away this moment of peace from Harry.

"It sounds wonderful, James," Hermione responded, smiling over at him.

"Oh it was, Granger," he teased to which she rolled her eyes.

Taking a backward glance over his shoulder, James looked over at Harry and Hermione and whispered, "So are you two like together or something?"

This took both of them completely off-guard; Harry and Hermione traded glances as Harry replied, without looking away from Hermione, "I guess we're taking it day by day; we don't feel the need to rush into things; not yet anyway."

Hermione smiled over at him as he grinned at her. "Do you realize you two look like a pair of puppies the way you are looking at each other like that," James asked, shaking his head and rolling his eyes.

As they made their way through the front door of the Granger house some minutes later, not once did they notice Emily Granger looking at their intertwined arms, smiling at the scene displayed in front of her.

Once the entire family was back inside, Tonks told them she was to stay outside on guard duty; they shrugged off their coats and placed them back into the front closet.

"How about you three make some s'mores," Mrs. Granger suggested.

"Some what," James asked, looking at her with a puzzled expression.

"Goodness me, you've never heard of s'mores," Mrs. Granger asked, looking first at James and then at Harry. Seeing their blank expressions, she fired of instructions in rapid succession saying, "Dan, get the fire going; Hermione, bring Harry and James back into the family room; I'll bring out a tray so you three can get started!"

The three Gryffindors walked back into the family room just as Mr. Granger had got the fire going.

"Here, let's sit in front of the fire…perhaps we can warm up a little too; it's so cold outside," Hermione said, sitting directly in front of the fire and rubbing her hands together to get some warmth.

As Harry and James took seats on opposite sides of her, Mrs. Granger came barreling out of the kitchen with a huge tray in her hands.

"Okay, Hermione, you teach Harry and James how to make s'mores; it's fairly easy boys and it tastes delicious," she nearly sang out, "We first heard about s'mores when we traveled to America, isn't that right, Dan?"

"What? Oh, uh, yes, honey, it was…what was it? Oh yes, the Greater New York Dental Meeting held in New York City. We overheard an American couple talking about taking their three kids camping to some place called Lake Chautauqua. Yes, good times that trip to America was. Anyway, sorry, Hermione you go ahead," Mr. Granger gestured.

"Okay, here's what we do: first, we take a metal skewer," she started, picking up a long stick of metal, "And we take a marshmallow and put it on the stick," Hermione continued, demonstrating what to do. Harry and James followed suit as Hermione plowed on, "Then, we hold the marshmallow over the fire so it can turn a bit crispy but try not to burn it," she instructed.

So the three students put out their skewers (with their respective marshmallows hanging at the end) over the fire to roast.

"And what do we do then," James asked, looking over at Hermione, his eyes growing with anticipation as each second ticked by.

She smiled as she said, "We take the skewer out from over the fire and we grab a slab of chocolate and put the toasty marshmallow and the chocolate in between two graham crackers and we eat it," she finished.

"It's obviously not the most healthy of snacks nor is it too good on your teeth but since it's nearly Christmas, why not give it a go for one night," Mr. Granger said when Hermione had finished describing what to do.

A few moments later, Hermione called out, "Okay, I think our marshmallows are toasty enough; so let's remove the skewers." The trio did so as one as they each grabbed a slab of milk chocolate and two pieces of graham crackers.

"Now, just put down one side of the graham cracker with the chocolate on top of it and slide the marshmallow off and put the other graham cracker on top of that to make it like a sandwich; then you can eat it."

Harry did as he was told, following Hermione's instructions precisely. After he made his s'more sandwich, Harry bit into it. Harry felt as if he was biting into some sort of gooey heaven, mixed in with mouth-watering chocolate along with the crunchiness of the two graham crackers.

Harry looked over and saw James with his eyes closed, savoring the taste of his first-ever s'more. Hermione bit into hers; when she pulled away, long strings of marshmallow gooeyness were stretched until its own breaking point.

"So, what do you guys think," Hermione asked after swallowing her first bite.

"I think it's delicious," Harry responded before taking another large bite.

"James?"

Harry and Hermione turned towards James who still had both of his eyes closed while chewing on his s'more.

"James," Hermione asked again.

Still, there was no response. "James," Hermione called, shaking him in the shoulder. Unfortunately for James, who seemed to spare no sense of balance at that point, fell backward onto the floor, causing him to choke on contents currently stuck in his throat.

As he coughed and wheezed, James finally got back into a sitting position where he was able to choke down the rest of his s'more.

"Hermione, was there any need for that," he said hoarsely, just as Mrs. Granger returned with three glasses of cold milk.

"Sorry," she said, handing him one glass.

"Thanks. Anyway, what did you say," James asked, sipping his milk.

"I asked what you thought of your first s'more," Hermione repeated.

"Oh, well besides the fact that it nearly killed me…I think it tastes wonderful; Hogwarts should definitely put this on their menu," he replied, taking another bite.

As the three finished off their first round of s'mores, Mr. and Mrs. Granger quietly snuck up the stairs and retreated to their bedroom.

Harry, James, and Hermione continued on with constructing their s'mores and then deconstructing their creations with their mouths as the Granger Christmas tree continued to twinkle gaily off in one corner.

After eight rounds of s'mores, the trio decided they had their fill of the tasty treats for the night. As Hermione returned the tray back into the kitchen, Harry and James took refuge on opposite couches.

When Hermione returned, Harry patted the empty area of the cushions next to him. She smiled over at him as she walked over. Once she sat down, she snuggled into Harry's side as he wrapped one arm around her and pulled her close. James looked over at the couple (even though they refused to call themselves that, he thought to himself) and couldn't help but smile; Harry and Hermione seemed to be so peaceful, not a lone thought disturbing them.

They looked like the perfect picturesque couple, enjoying a quiet yet cold evening, relaxing on a couch by the small fire in the grate, both looking up at the towering Christmas tree as a quiet snow fell outside.

To James, this is what the holiday season was all about: love and family. Something deep inside of his mind him that currently, Harry and Hermione were his family. There was something about the two of them that seemed so homey to James that words would not do justice to his own thoughts.

"You two look rather peaceful," James said playfully to them, noticing for the first time their shadows were dancing on a far wall by the dancing flames of the fire.

"As do you," Hermione said, nodding her head at him. James was curled up on one end of the couch, wearing a dark blue sweatshirt and holding his glass of milk in one of his hands, a content smile plastered across his face.

"It seems so strange to be here," James started, looking over at Harry and Hermione, "Because even though this isn't my home, it feels like it could be."

"I know what you mean," Harry replied, "Usually, I would either spend Christmas back at Hogwarts or at the Burrow; I never thought how happy I would be here with Hermione's family; it all feels so different yet so…right, I guess would be the word."

James nodded his head in agreement and turned to look at Hermione as he said, "Thank you, again, Hermione, for the invite. Even though we've only been here for one day, I feel like I could spend my eternity here."

"It's no problem, none at all," she said. "I have to say though that while I was excited the two of you were coming over, I was nervous as well."

"Why would you be nervous," Harry asked, as he pulled Hermione even closer to his chest.

"I don't know…I guess I was worried you and James wouldn't feel comfortable or would feel out of place," Hermione confessed, "I just wanted the both of you to feel like you were at home."

"Trust me, Hermione, it definitely feels more than comfortable," James said, "I've never spent a Christmas in a Muggle household before but I certainly hope it's not the last time I do."

The three students then descended into a comfortable silence: James' eyes were drawn over to the now dying flames of the fire; Harry was dazzled by the shimmering Christmas tree, it's lights blinking every other second, as tinsel rested upon branches and ornaments of the tree; Hermione's gaze was towards the French doors that led out to the backyard as she watched the snow fall slowly onto the ground.

After a while, Hermione stood to her feet, stretched out her arms and said, "I think it's time for me to go to bed."

"Yes, I agree with that," James said, he too standing to his feet. "Are you coming, Harry?"

Harry, who had still been distracted by the lights of the tree nodded his head and replied, "Yeah, I'm pretty tired myself."

With that, the three students ascended the staircase and up to their respective rooms.

"Well, goodnight you two," James said, giving a small wave to both Harry and Hermione before he went into one guest room.

"Goodnight," they replied to him in unison. After he shut his door softly, Harry fixed his eyes upon Hermione and smiled warmly at her.

"Thanks, Hermione, again for inviting us…and for teaching us how to make s'mores; they really were delicious," Harry said, grabbing both of her hands.

"Harry, as I've said before, it's no problem; besides, I'm glad you and James are here this Christmas; usually, it's just me and my parents…not that that's a bad thing or anything," Hermione said, "But it feels nice to have my friends around too."

Harry nodded his head once at Hermione's response. Then, before he could think twice about his actions, he leaned in and kissed her on the lips. Caught momentarily by surprise, he felt Hermione stiffen suddenly but she slowly softened into Harry's embrace.

"Ahem," a voice said, startling the couple so much so that they jumped apart. Their eyes fell upon James who had a toothbrush and a tube of toothpaste in his hand. "I thought we said 'good night' to one another already?"

"No, we said 'good night' to you but no to each other," Harry countered playfully.

"Really? I was under the impression that there were no words being exchanged between the two of you," he replied, the tips of his mouth turned upwards.

Harry turned a light shade of red as the tips of Hermione's ears turned pink. As an awkward silence settled between the trio, James shrugged his shoulders; as he walked to the bathroom, they could hear him whistling softly.

"Well, good night then, Harry," Hermione said, looking him in his green eyes for a long moment before departing for her bedroom. As she stepped over the threshold of her room, Hermione turned back and locked eyes with Harry once again. They gave each other one last smile before the end of the night.

The following days flew by in a whirlwind, Harry thought, as time seemed to have made itself go faster and faster. After spending a wonderful Christmas and New Year's Day with the Grangers, Harry felt quite forlorn about having to go back to Hogwarts the following day; never in his wildest dreams did Harry ever expect to be downhearted about returning to the castle.

However, the night before their departure, a knock was heard on the front door of the Granger's house.

As Mr. Granger went to see who this unexpected guest was, Harry, James, and Hermione were all sitting in the living room, sipping mugs of hot chocolate Mrs. Granger had whipped up for them.

Two pairs of footsteps were heard as the trio turned their heads to see who the guest of the Granger's was.

Suddenly, James' eyes grew very wide as did the pair of eyes of their guest for none other than Remus Lupin had arrived.

For a moment, the soft patter of the snow could be heard lightly pummeling against the windows of the living room.

"Well…I guess you all know who this is," Mr. Granger started, his eyes darting from Lupin to the trio and back to Lupin again. When no one replied, he said, "I think I'm needed in the…kitchen, I guess," and with that being said, he left.

Harry had his eyes screwed up in confusion, not knowing who his man was as he had never seen him before…well, not according to his own recollection of course.

"How…when…why…how is this possible," Lupin said, stumbling over his own words. "James?"

James stood slowly to his feet, forgetting about his mug of hot chocolate as he walked slowly over to Remus.

"Lupin…is that you," he asked, looking at him with utter amazement, his eyes filling with blissful mirth.

"James…how is this possible," he repeated, his eyes fixed upon James in utter disbelief. Tearing his gaze away, he turned to Harry and Hermione and said, "What is the meaning of all of this?"

He looked over at Harry who looked blankly back at him as Hermione stood to her feet and started, "Professor Lupin, I think you need to take a seat; there is much to tell you but trust me, everything will be explained."

After Lupin took a seat, Hermione explained everything to him: about how she and Harry awoke back in 1976 and attended classes during that era; how they befriended James, Sirius, Lupin, Peter, and Lily; she continued by telling him that after she and Harry were transported mysteriously back to their own time, Harry had lost his memories; and Hermione finished by telling him that James was somehow shifted into their own time as his sixteen-year-old self.

After Hermione had finished speaking, Lupin had grown extremely pale, so much so that to Harry, he could have matched the transparency of the ghosts of Hogwarts.

"But there is something I don't understand," he started when he finally regained his voice again, "If you and Harry did visit the year of 1976, why is it that I have no memory of the two of you?"

"I don't know, professor, it's something I'm still trying to figure out," Hermione replied, giving him a cautious look, "But you do believe us, don't you?"

"Well, I don't see why you would be lying to me, especially since James is sitting right next to me," he replied, giving James another look. "What has Professor Dumbledore said of this whole situation?"

Hermione blushed slightly as she replied, "We haven't exactly told him yet; in fact, you're the only one who knows as of right now."

"Hey, well done, Remus! You should consider yourself lucky mate," James cried out, clapping his friend on the back.

"Yes, incredibly lucky," he replied dryly though his eyes were laced with humor, "Hermione, you need to tell Professor Dumbledore about this. I don't see how that could hurt."

"Professor," Hermione started, twisting her hands nervously together seeming as if she was having an internal battle, "I'll make sure to do that tomorrow when we arrive back at Hogwarts," she finished, not meeting his eyes.

"Anyway, Remus, what are you doing here," James asked, giving his best friend a curious expression.

"I volunteered to keep look-out for the Grangers tonight," he replied.

"I thought only aurors from the Ministry were to be on guard," James countered.

"Oh, with a little prodding from Professor Dumbledore, they didn't have much against me keeping guard for one night."

"I see that you still have your prefect state of mind then," James replied.

After Lupin scoffed playfully, he then turned to Harry; he smiled as he said, "Well, I guess you don't remember me, Harry, but my name is Professor Lupin; I was your Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher back in your third year."

"And not to mention, one of my best friends," James intervened, giving Lupin a cold look, "I guess you forgot to mention that."

"Yes, and a friend of James as well," he said, shaking Harry's hand. "This is just all too surreal right now…I'm just taken aback by everything," he said to the trio.

"It's good to see you too," James said, clapping Lupin on the shoulder.

"You have no idea," he replied.

"Professor, can I ask you for a favor," Hermione started, stepping forward towards Lupin.

"Well, that certainly depends on the favor but I'll do everything I can to help you," their former professor replied. Harry looked over at him as he suddenly had a strange picture of a full moon float in his head.

"Can you charm James tomorrow before we board the Hogwarts Express so no one recognizes him; not permanently of course but just for several hours," Hermione asked, "Since we are not allowed to do magic outside of school."

"Hermione, I'll take you up on your favor and make sure James looks more handsome than he does right now," Lupin said, a sly smile forming on his face.

James laughed a hollow laugh as he replied, "Remus, do you really want to talk about beauty, do you? How about we do that under a full moon?"

As Hermione rolled her eyes at their playful banter, Harry had the feeling he was missing something about what had just been exchanged between the two of them.

After chatting for another hour, Lupin stood to his feet and said, "Well, it's best that I get going; I'll see you all tomorrow on platform 9 ¾ and James," he called out, in which James looked over at him expectantly, "Don't be late."

With another parting smile, Lupin left the Granger household. "What a character he is," James said sarcastically, looking over at Harry and Hermione. "Are you alright, Harry, you've been pretty quiet tonight?"

"What? Oh, yeah, I'm fine, just a little sleepy is all," Harry replied. In truth, Harry had been struck with another image of a werewolf surrounded by shimmering Christmas lights along with a Christmas tree and small decorations in what looked like a run-down shack.

"Well, let's all head up to bed then," Hermione said, "We'll definitely be at Hogwarts tomorrow."

"Hermione, were you serious about telling Dumbledore about me when we return," James asked, looking at her, "I mean, it's what you told Remus."

"I know I did…I don't think I could tell him about the attack that happened to us in the Great Hall and how I think Professor Dumbledore knows about that; it would have been too much fodder," she replied, gnawing on her bottom lip. "Maybe we should and see what he says," Hermione suggested.

"What do you think Harry," James asked suddenly looking over at Harry with questioning eyes.

Harry sighed slightly as he stood to his feet and said, "If it's true, what Hermione says about Professor Dumbledore knowing about the attack, I don't see how we can trust him; I mean, our attacker tried to kill us by burning us alive."

"Do you believe Dumbledore coordinated that attack," James asked, horror dawning upon his face.

"I don't know to be honest with you; but I somehow get this feeling that there's a more sinister act that encompasses everything that has happened to us thus far," Harry said, looking both at James and Hermione.

As Harry said this, miles away in St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries, the eyes of Slytherin Gregory Goyle fluttered open, his eyeballs glazed over in all white. As he grabbed his wand from his bedside table, a cackle of magic surged into his wand arm.

As Goyle walked out of the hospital ward, wand in hand, one thought kept repeating over and over in his head: ' _It's in the Chamber…it's in the Chamber…_ '


	28. Revival

Harry Potter and a Marauder Revival

Author's Note: Hello all! Here is one of the pinnacle chapters, Chapter 28 of "Harry Potter and a Marauder Revival!" Be warned, this chapter is very long yet it includes elements that are crucial to my story. Thank you to everyone that has left a review thus far (I read all of them); if you wish, feel free to leave a review for this chapter as well (positive/negative/good/bad reviews are all welcome). Chapter 29 will be posted **SATURDAY NIGHT!** Happy reading and happy Christmas!

Chapter 28: Revival

"You look fine, James, stop making such a huge fuss out of nothing," Remus told his best friend in the foyer of the Granger residence, "It's not like you were very handsome to begin with anyway."

"Oh, please spare me, Moony, everyone knows I was the most good-looking marauder, I mean, there's no question there," James replied with a smile on his face, "By the way, have you seen Padfoot around? I asked Harry and Hermione about him but they said he'd left the country; do you know if that's true?"

At this question, Remus' face fell which did not go unnoticed by James. "He left alright…something about not trusting the Ministry of Magic; he's definitely not wrong about that."

"Do you think you could send him a message; just to tell him that I'm here, considering I don't know how much longer I'll be in 1996?"

Remus placed both of his hands on James' shoulders and replied with a small smile, "I'll see what I can do."

The sounds of footsteps were heard behind the pair; they turned to see the Grangers along with Harry walking towards them.

"Wow, James, you really look unrecognizable," Mrs. Granger commented, looking at him as if she could not believe the transformation he had undergone.

"Thanks, Mrs. Granger," James said quietly, rubbing the back of his neck as a red blush crept up his neck.

"I'm sure that wasn't a compliment," Mr. Granger commented; in return, he received an elbow in his rib cage from his missus.

"Well you lot better be off then, you don't want to miss the Hogwarts Express," Remus said, looking over at Harry and Hermione with a warm look of comfort on his face.

"Yes, who knows how we would get to Hogwarts then," James shuddered, "I mean, could you imagine flying a car all the way to the castle?"

As James exited out of the front door, Hermione gave Harry a sarcastic look as she shrugged her shoulders and said, "Could you imagine that, Harry?"

Harry, have no idea what that was about, watched Hermione walk out of the front door and into the bitter frigid air of London, followed by Mr. Granger.

As Harry made to follow them, Remus said, "Harry, may I have a quick word?"

"Sure," Harry replied.

"Here, Harry, let me take your trunk for you dear," Mrs. Granger said, grabbing the handle of his Gryffindor-emblazoned chest.

Harry hung back as Remus watched James the Grangers walk towards their car and started to load the trunks of the students in it. The snowfall had stopped as the cold, dreary grey clouds were replaced by a bright blue sky. Remus and Harry were framed against the rays of the burning sun as they stood face-to-face before the open door of the Granger household.

"Harry, I take it you haven't told James about Sirius yet, have you?"

Harry shook his head from side to side and said, "Hermione reckons it isn't a good idea and I believe she is right. I mean, they were best mates and all; telling him his best friend is dead would crush him, wouldn't it? And we have no idea how long James will be with us."

As Remus nodded his head in agreement, he asked, "And you haven't revealed your true identity to him: meaning that he still doesn't know you're his son?"

At this, Harry shook his head from side to side as a stinging, wintry breeze blew past the talking pair, making Harry shiver in coldness.

"And lastly, are you and Hermione really going to tell Professor Dumbledore about James? I'm sure the two of you have talked about it more than once over the winter holiday, am I right? There's only so much time we all have before everything is revealed."

"Hermione and I haven't truly decided on anything, yet. We're still trying to collect all of our pieces to try and fit them into this complicated puzzle we have in front of us."

"Harry, you don't have to do this alone…there are many people that are more than willing to help, you do know that don't you?"

"I know, I'm just not sure everyone's best interests are being taken into account," Harry responded, looking up at Remus.

As the two stared at one another, a voice said, "Come on, Harry, we don't want to be late."

Harry turned his head and saw Mrs. Granger looking at both of them expectantly; he didn't even realize she had returned from the car…he wondered how much she heard. As Harry and Remus exited the house, Mrs. Granger locked the front door.

Before entering into the car, Remus said, "Take care of yourself, Harry; with everything that has happened, who knows what will come next."

Harry shook his former professor's hand before opening the car door and taking a seat next to Hermione.

Mr. Granger put the car in drive as he pulled away from the curb and drove down the street. Harry chanced one more glance behind at the home he had felt so comfortable in all winter break; he then saw Professor Lupin disappear in silence.

After nearly twenty minutes of driving, complimented by Mr. Granger's slight road rage ("Can't anyone drive properly in London anymore?"; "Where did you learn to drive, you daft tosser?"; and "Come on, you dozy nutter, place your foot on the gas pedeal!"), they finally pulled into King's Cross Station.

As they pulled out their luggage from the trunk of the car, James turned to Hermione and said, "You're dad sure has his way with words, Hermione."

At this, Hermione shrugged her shoulders and replied, "What can I say; he's quite erudite."

Harry, James, and Hermione pushed their trolley's in between platforms nine and ten to arrive soundlessly onto platform 9 ¾ where the gleaming Hogwarts Express was waiting.

"Come on, let's get out trunks on board then say goodbye," Harry suggested, walking over towards the locomotives' carriages.

After placing their possessions on board, Harry, James, and Hermione walked over to say goodbye to the Grangers.

"Well, take care of yourselves," Mrs. Granger said with teary eyes, hugging each one in turn (and by mistake, hugged her husband), "And please be safe."

"We'll be fine mum," Hermione cajoled, hugging her mother once more.

As she was doing this, James looked up at Mr. Granger and said, "Thank you again, for having over me and Harry; it really means a lot."

Surprising Harry and even James, Mr. Granger stuck out his hand and shook James' hand saying, "You know, you're alright; just remember, a kiss is just a kiss; go off and find your love, James, and live happily ever after."

James was staring open-mouthed at him as Mr. Granger turned towards Harry and shook his hand too. "I'm not entirely sure what's going on between you and my Hermione but make sure you take good care of her, Harry."

"Mr. Granger, to be honest with you, I don't really knows what's going on between the two of us either."

At his words, Mr. Granger smiled and replied, "Harry, you have to give us some credit…we're not blind you know."

Harry nodded once, unsure as to what would be the most appropriate response to that statement was when he laid eyes on a family he could care less to see: the Weasleys.

Unfortunately for him, the red-headed brood was headed straight to where the Grangers were.

"Have a nice Christmas, did you, Harry," Mrs. Weasley asked, completely ignoring both the transformed James and Hermione.

"Yes, actually I did; the Grangers were the best hosts I could have ever imagined," Harry responded curtly, noticing the heated glare Ginny was sending Hermione's way.

"Well, I'm sure they didn't give you a hand-knitted jumper, did they," Mrs. Weasley responded, pursing her lips together, stressing the word 'they.'

"No, I didn't receive one this Christmas, but I have to say, spending quality time with people that care about me and I care about in return is worth more than any present I have ever received," Harry said, growing aggravated at Mrs. Weasley's attempt to spoil the wondrous feeling Harry had in his heart he had gathered from the Christmas holiday.

As she cocked an eyebrow upwards and turned to her children to part ways, Harry saw and heard Hermione asked, "Charlie, is that burn mark you have on your arm?"

Harry and James turned around and saw Charlie Weasley telling Hermione of a thrilling tale of how a rogue dragon escaped into the Carpathian Mountains in Romania.

Harry, having only met the second-oldest Weasley once, took in his appearance: Charlie was quite short compared to the rest of his brothers (he was definitely the shortest of the bunch), yet he had broad shoulders and was much more muscular than his kin; his short, fiery red hair topped his head along with several burn marks he showcased on both of his arms and one in the crook of his neck.

"A dragon escaped the reserve," Hermione gasped, her eyes growing wide in wonder and horror, "Did he hurt anyone?"

"Not 'he' Hermione, 'she' and as a matter of fact, she nearly set fire to a tiny village she flew over," Charlie replied, shaking his head gravely. "You see, what happened was that this mother dragon, a Korean Gyo, had a nasty temper, as many mothers do when they are nesting. The Korean Gyo, whom we named, Kaia, felt threatened by an Albanian Dreq, named Noir. Dragons need their space, Hermione, but with this sudden surge in the dragon population in Romania, we are quickly running out of room.

"Anyway, we had a new handler come to the reserve a few weeks back, I think his name was Jake Young if I remember correctly, who was fascinated by Kaia; however, his fascination took his mindset off of Noir who was lurking nearby. Soon, Noir savagely attacked Kaia; she barely escaped, suffering a deep gash on her underbelly along with being blinded in her left eye."

"She went blind," Hermione asked, as the horror in her eyes were quickly overcoming the wonder that was in it before.

"Noir gouged out her left eye; my partner, Oscar, and I found her eyeball lying on the forest floor."

"Oh my goodness, that's awful," Hermione cried out.

"It indeed is; but we found Kaia…," Charlie started again before his mother cut him off.

"That's enough, Charlie, or else Ron, Ginny, and Harry will be late getting on board," Mrs. Weasley scolded, completely ignoring James and Hermione yet again; as she said this, the sharp whistle of the train shrilled loudly, alerting everyone in the vicinity.

"On you get," Mrs. Granger said kindly, looking over at Harry, James, and Hermione, "It's best that you be off now."

As they climbed aboard, followed by Ron and a grumpy-looking Ginny, the car door shut behind them.

Hermione poked her head back out and said, "Thank you Charlie, for telling us about your burn!"

"But you didn't even hear the entire story," he called out at her, much to the dismay of his mum.

"I'm sure one day I'll hear the entire thing," she said back.

Charlie smiled and waved at her as Mrs. Weasley scowled displeasingly at the playful banter between her son and Hermione.

As Ron and Ginny set off to find their own compartment on the train, James, Harry, and Hermione waved one final time at Mr. and Mrs. Granger.

"You know, they were the best hosts I have ever had," James said, looking sideways at Hermione.

"They were, weren't they," Harry agreed, also looking at Hermione.

"If I am here come summer break, I'm definitely staying at your place again, Hermione," James said, a wide smile fixed upon his face.

"Oh please, that's if mum and dad are willing to have you over again," she countered.

"Hermione, I don't know if you know this but it just so happens that your parents do indeed like me," James responded as Hermione rolled her eyes at Harry who stuffed a fist into his mouth to keep from laughing out loud.

As the Hogwarts Expressed turned the corner, the trio gave one final wave at the Grangers who waved back at them enthusiastically. Little did anyone know that that would be the final time James Potter ever saw Mr. and Mrs. Granger again.

"So, Hermione, what is the plan about this whole charade…are we going to tell Dumbledore about everything," James asked as he, Harry, and Hermione settled down in a compartment they had all to themselves.

"What do you think, Harry," she asked, looking over at him.

"I say we wait a day and we plan…there are some things we should tell him and some things that we shouldn't tell him," Harry responded, looking at both James and Hermione in turn.

"What do you suggest that we tell him," Hermione asked.

"That is exactly what our planning is going to consist of: what he tell him and what he don't. We can hide out in the Room of Requirement for a day and decide," Harry responded.

"Do you think he'll even believe us when we you tell him that James Potter is his sixteen-year-old self in the year 1996," James asked.

"Well he's going to have to when he sees you," Hermione responded.

"True but if he really part of this overall plan he's conducting behind our backs, he could twist our story against us," James said.

"I know…but it's the only plan we've got. James, you can't stay here forever; there must a reason as to why you came here in our time; it doesn't just happen by coincidence," Hermione said.

"I know but I don't have any idea as to why I did," he replied, shrugging his shoulders.

But anyone else could make another comment, their compartment door slid open and in walked both Ron and Ginny.

The awkward tension in their compartment skyrocketed as Ginny took a seat across from Harry (though she was glaring daggers at Hermione) while Ron seemingly preferred to stay standing.

"Fancy seeing you again, Harry," Ginny said as sweetly as she could, though her face was contorted to look as if she had just swallowed a handful of vomit-flavored beans of Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans.

"Is it," Harry responded, aggravated his discussion was interrupted by two people he could care less to see.

"I had a pretty rotten Christmas," Ginny replied, have the audacity to put on a mask of hurt and sorrow, "As you didn't get the chance to stop by. I mean, as I was telling Ron and mum, we really can't blame you, can we; not after those Muggles kept your prisoner in their very own home."

At this, James whipped his head to look over at Ginny as he said, "What's got your wand in a knot? We weren't kept prisoners by the Grangers."

Ginny looked over at James with a pained expression as she said, "Yes, we knew you would say something like that; after all, Hermione is very good at brewing potions."

Harry was looking at Ginny as his disgust for her continued to mount at accelerating levels with each word she spoke.

Speaking as calmly as he could, Harry said, "Ginny, I think it would be best if you left right now."

Seeing the anger in Harry's eyes, Ginny shrugged her shoulders and stood to her feet. Before she followed Ron out the door, she turned around and looked into Harry's blazing green eyes and said, "I would be very careful if I were you, Harry. You saw how Charlie and Hermione were acting towards each other today back at King's Cross. I would hate to see you get hurt if Hermione decides that my brother, Charlie, is a more interesting character for her to achieve than you.

"I'm quite surprised you didn't see the bright gleam in Charlie's eyes when he was talking with Hermione. I know my brother and he was dazzled by her; they'll probably write to each other over term so Charlie can finish telling Hermione of his thrilling tale of his beloved dragons. Charlie seems very…taken with her." With that, Ginny swished her long red hair over her shoulder as she let the compartment door slide shut on its own.

"What a blissful little dunghead," James muttered, shaking his head in disbelief at Ginny's words. "Don't listen to her, Harry; she's just jealous you didn't spend any time with her over the holiday."

As Harry nodded over at James, he felt a hand slide into his. He looked over and saw Hermione smiling up at him while squeezing his hand in reassurance. Harry squeezed back while smiling down at her. Yet, deep in the depths of Harry's mind, he saw how Charlie Weasley looked at Hermione; if looks were anything to go by, Ginny was right: Charlie Weasley was dazzled by Hermione Granger.

The brakes of the Hogwarts Expressed screeched to halt once inside the train station of Hogsmeade Village. The whistle of the train pierced the darkening sky like falling shards of glass; the great ball of fire was sinking slowly behind the towers of Hogwarts castle off in the distance; darkness was taking over as the temperature plummeted down to colder levels.

Harry, James, and Hermione bundled up within their own respective sweatshirts to block themselves from the surrounding frosty air that was pressing in around them.

Taking a carriage all to themselves, the thestral guided them up the sloping lawns of the grounds of Hogwarts, as a full moon rose higher and higher into the sky.

As Harry focused his eyes on the rising white orb, he remembered seeing the full moon in his mind when he was around Remus over the break.

As the carriages approached the black shade of the thundering towers, the trio exited their cart and stepped inside the castle, much to their relief as the castle was glowing with warmth.

A collection of voices pressed in around them as more and more students entered through the Entrance Hall to make their way into the Great Hall where they would partake in the Welcome Back Feast.

"Let's go, I'm starving," James said, leading the way towards the hall.

"James, wait," Hermione whispered harshly.

"What is it," he asked, turning around to face her, annoyance slowly seeping into his eyes.

"I just wanted to remind you that Remus' charms should wear off within the hour; you have to be careful not to be seen," she scolded.

"Hermione, relax, I'm a fast eater; no one will ever get a glimpse of me…besides you two of course."

"Also, remember to go up to the seventh floor corridor into the Room of Requirement. Harry and I will meet you there later tonight after the feast is over. You do remember how to get into the room, don't you?"

"Yes, yes, yes, you just walk past the blank wall and think in your mind what you want the room to be," he replied hastily as Harry clearly heard his father's stomach rumble in hunger.

"Okay then, let's go," Hermione said.

As they entered the hall, the three students walked towards the Gryffindor table when Hermione turned around and said, "James, you're not supposed to sit with us! You're in Ravenclaw," Hermione whispered hastily.

"Hermione, you really need to relax and take a look around: everyone is wearing coats, meaning our Hogwarts robes can't even be seen. It'll be fine," he reasoned, taking a seat at the table. Harry shrugged his shoulders in indifference as they took seats next to him.

Harry looked up at the staff table and realized that two seats were unoccupied: the seat of Headmaster Dumbledore and the seat of their Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Professor Snape.

As the chatter of excited voices filled his ears, Harry couldn't help but wonder where Professors Dumbledore and Snape were.

True to his word, James stood up about half an hour later and whispered to both Harry and Hermione, "See the two of you later." With that, James Potter in disguise, exited the Great Hall.

"Hermione, did you notice that Dumbledore and Snape are both missing," Harry said to her.

She took a look up toward the staff table, nodded her head and replied, "I do now. Where do you think they could be; it's not like either of them to miss the Welcome Back Feast."

"I don't know but I have this feeling inside of me, saying something is off tonight; I don't know what it is but it's there," Harry said, staring down at the food on his plate he did not have the appetite to finish anymore.

As more and more students took their leave from the Great Hall, Harry pushed his plate away and stood to his feet.

"I'm done eating," he said to Hermione who was reading a book at the table, having finished eating sometime ago.

"Well, let's go see James then," she said as she and Harry departed from the Great Hall. They walked up several flights of staircases of the Entrance Hall, turning onto the seventh floor landing before they strolled down a corridor on the seventh floor.

Their footsteps echoed on the stone floor that reverberated off of the walls of the passageway as their path was lit by the dancing flames of the fire that were resting on top of evenly spaced pedestals.

Harry gathered that, minus James, he and Hermione were the only two students on the seventh floor. Their shadows followed their footsteps as Harry felt as if someone or something was following them.

Taking a look over his shoulder, Harry only saw emptiness. Harry mentally shook his head as he and Hermione continued to march onwards toward their destination. Suddenly, a pair of footfalls echoed down the corridor.

Harry stopped dead in his tracks and whipped around, his wand out as he pushed Hermione behind him to shield her from harm.

"What is it Harry," she whispered against the back of his neck.

"You didn't hear those footsteps," he asked her, not daring to turn around.

"What are you talking about?"

"The footsteps…I heard them, just now. Didn't you," he asked, now not totally assured he had even heard anything at all.

"No I didn't," Hermione responded quietly.

Harry turned around to face her; his heart squeezed painfully as he saw her face etched with worry.

"Harry, do you feel alright," she asked him, placing her hands on his cheeks.

"I thought I did but I get this strange feeling that we're being followed. I don't know what it is but it's making me uneasy," he replied truthfully, "There's something not right about tonight…I can feel it."

As soon as the words escaped his lips, he heard a voice, marred with wickedness and malice slither, _"Lay it down asunder for purge the cruelty we shall; take it for our own to bring the goodness down."_

Harry staggered back against the wall, covering his ears with the fists of his hand. His face was upended in horror yet he could not make a sound; it was as if he was paralyzed. He could barely feel Hermione trying to snap him back into their reality for the voice was so full of hatred; it was as if the voice had swallowed fear and was spewing it outward in invisible daggers that were piercing every inch of Harry's body.

 _"The hearts waits, the mind does not; I am going to rip out the beating bones and crush them in my mouth."_

The voice would not stop; if a pool of blood was gathering at Harry's feet, this would surprise him little if at all for the daggers he felt piercing his body were relentless and unending.

Suddenly, a blast of cool water shook him out of his revere; he blinked open his eyes and saw Hermione standing before him, her wand directed at his face.

"Harry, are you alright; what happened," she asked, nervousness mixed in with worry and fear seeped through her vocal chords.

As his blazing green eyes found her warm brown ones, he said in a hoarse voice, "The chamber…it's in the chamber."

"What chamber? What's in the chamber, Harry," Hermione asked, grabbing both of his hands in hers.

"The Chamber of Secrets," he whispered in a single breath.

Taking off on the opposite direction, Harry bolted; having no idea where this sudden revelation came from, Harry knew he had to get to the Chamber of Secrets: the voice of wickedness was calling to him.

Racing down long corridors and down several flights of stairs, Harry's mind had no idea where he was going but that did not matter for his feet were beating to their own drums as if they had a mind of its own.

His heart was racing, threatening to burst out of his chest yet on and on he continued to run as he vaguely heard Hermione chase after him.

Passing laughing students as he raced down the staircase, Harry wondered if they were laughing at him. The faces of the students, twisted in contorting masks to hide the ugliness that lie beneath pounded against the temples of Harry's head; he shuddered to think what would happen if the masks were taken off and the real faces that had remained hidden for so long were finally revealed. It was like a death to the masquerade; the only problem was that Harry had no idea was a masquerade even was.

Turning onto the second-floor landing, Harry raced over to the girl's lavatory and shoved the door open so that it banged loudly against the wall. However, seeing the vanity of the bathroom already open made Harry stop dead in his tracks; this moment made Hermione able to catch up to him.

He heard her ragged breathing behind him yet he didn't turn around. No, for turn around he did not as it seemed as if a twisted mixture of tortured souls was calling to him: the sounds were emitting from the black depths of the entrance of the Chamber of Secrets. A chorus of mangled ghouls called for his body and his soul and Harry was intent on giving into their demands.

Harry walked closer and closer so that his toes were dangling over the edge of the entrance. Though he couldn't see anything, Harry knew something was calling to him.

"Harry, what is it," Hermione said, walking to his side, her breathing still heavy.

"It's calling to me," he whispered.

"What Harry? What is calling to you," she nearly screamed.

"I dunno but I have to go in there," he said quietly, pointing into the bottomless pit of doom.

Hermione grabbed his arm while saying, "Harry, something is not right, like you said. It's like a strange feeling that's creeping into the castle tonight."

"It's not a feeling, Hermione, it's something else," Harry stated, his eyes transfixed into the black hole standing in front of him.

"We'll go in there Harry, together," Hermione said, standing close to Harry.

"I don't know what's in there, Hermione; all I know is that whatever is in there…it wants to kill."

"We both have our wands," she said in a shaky breath, "And we have each other; we'll do this together."

Harry's heart told him nothing good could come out of dropping down into the Chamber of Secrets yet his mind seemed to have his actions under its own control for Harry turned around so that his back faced the black pit. Stretching out his arms to each of his sides, Harry felt his body tip over backwards as he dropped into the hollow of insanity.

He heard Hermione scream above him, her voice shrill against his eardrums; Harry's body plummeted into darkness as his sweater fluttered in the falling windfalls. Harry closed his eyes, waiting for the earth-shattering impact which would soon come that would destroy the bones of his body into a thousand pieces.

However, the impact did not come for Harry soon found himself falling down a wide shaft, almost like a concrete slide. Harry soon tumbled head over heels onto the rough stone floor. His eyes fell upon the discarded bones of unfortunate animals that met their deaths down in the depths of the chamber.

Harry took out his wand and muttered, " _LUMOS_." A bright light was cast around the bottom of the chamber; Harry held his wand high, as his mind was battling an inner war against himself, as his eyes fell upon four different wide tunnels that led off into different directions.

Moments later, a body came tumbling out of a tube in a mangled heap. Harry turned around and saw Hermione folded over, her hand cradling the side of her head.

"Hermione, are you alright," Harry asked, holding his hand for her to take which she did, helping herself onto her feet.

"Harry, what was happening to you up there…it almost seemed as if you weren't yourself," she asked, her voice quiet as they stood on the broken bones of killed animals, Harry's wand providing the only sense of light.

"I don't know; it was like I was consumed in this trance that I couldn't break," he replied.

"It was scary, Harry," Hermione whispered.

Seeing the hurt look on her face, Harry felt his heart contort in disbelief; the last thing he ever wanted to do was to hurt Hermione.

"I'm sorry," he said, enveloping her in his arms. He pressed around her tightly as she buried her head in the crook of his neck. As he rested the side of his face against her head, he felt something warm trickle down his cheek.

Gently breaking away from Hermione, Harry raised a finger to his cheek where the warmth was still felt; pulling it away to examine his finger with his eyes, his realized in horror it was blood. Realization dawned upon Harry that Hermione's blood covered one side of his face as it slowly seeped down his neck.

"Hermione, are you hurt," he asked her, examining her head.

"My head is pounding but other than that, I'm fine," she replied, taking out her wand and muttering, " _LUMOS_."

Harry rested his hand against the side of her head and noted her bushy hair was plastered against her scalp in wet blood.

As Harry was about to comment on her injury, she spoke out, "Harry, can we just do what we need to do and get out here? I'm getting a very bad feeling in here."

"Well, that's one problem: I have no idea what I'm supposed to do in here," he said.

"You do know where we are, right," she asked.

"I heard myself say the Chamber of Secrets though I don't know what it is."

"The Chamber of Secrets was built by one of the four founders of Hogwarts, Salazar Slytherin, during the medieval era. The chamber was home to a Basilisk which was intended to kill all those deemed unworthy to study magic in Slytherin's point of view."

"But why would it matter who is studying magic," Harry asked, confusion showing on his face.

"Because some ancient families are obsessed with blood purity; it is something that will continue to exist in our world no matter what the costs of attaining full blood purity will be."

"What do you mean by that?"

"What I mean is that if the notion of blood purity is ever achieved, the wizading community in Britain could go extinct as there are not many purebloods left," Hermione replied. "Anyway, the chamber could only be open by Salazar Slytherin's true heir…who Voldemort is. The chamber was opened in 1943 by a sixteen-year-old Voldemort in which the basilisk killed a student named Myrtle Warren, also known as Moaning Myrtle.

"The chamber was opened again in 1992, during our second year. No one died but many were petrified. You then murdered the basilisk with the Sword of Gryffindor," Hermione finished.

"I-I murdered the basilisk," Harry asked, looking into Hermione's eyes in the darkness.

"Yes, Harry, you did while rescuing Ginny," Hermione stated.

Harry tried to think back as to when the giant snake was slain but he could not remember it.

A pounding sound was suddenly heard, making both Harry and Hermione jump. They both looked at one another as another pounding sound was heard rearing from the tunnel behind Hermione.

"Come on, let's go," Harry said, walking past Hermione and into the dark tunnel with Hermione following close behind.

The air was still down in the depths of the chamber and all too quiet. Ever other moment, a quiet _DRIP, DRIP, DRIP_ was heard as water droplets smashed against the cold concrete interior of the tunnel.

The two lights emitting from the tips of the wands of Harry and Hermione provided the only sense of light. As another pounding was heard (this time much closer than before), Harry's heart started to race at rapid speeds as he began to shake uncontrollably.

Mustering the rest of his Gryffindor courage, Harry mentally shook his head again, set his mouth into a grim line and continued to walk on, stumbling occasionally on the wet yet smooth terrain of the dark catacombs.

Soon thereafter, Harry and Hermione walked upon a circular door engraved with seven metallic snakes: the door into the main vicinity of the Chamber of Secrets. However, the door was already open.

Harry stared at the opening summarizing that it was almost inviting the two of them inside; however, this invite was not welcoming at all; no, instead, it was deceitful and falsehearted.

Harry turned back and said, "Hermione, you don't have to come with me. I don't have any idea what is going to happen inside of there."

"Which is why I am going with you, Harry; I'm always going to be with you…no matter what. Don't you understand that we're in this together?"

Harry grimly nodded as a feeling of foreboding washed over him. Something told him whatever was inside the chamber was going to put up a fight; what the fight was going to be over…Harry had no idea.

Nodding this head once, Harry stepped through the opening the circular door provided followed swiftly by Hermione hot at his heels.

The two students climbed down a ladder which hung from the threshold of the circular door.

After Harry and Hermione securely made their way down the ladder, they found themselves standing upon a wide yet wet platform. The platform was also long as it was lined with giant stone heads of serpents, its forked tongues issuing from its mouths; however, that was not what caught both of their eyes. For at the end of this long, stone pathway, a colossal figure towered over the chamber as Harry presumed this was the stone figure of none other than Salazar Slytherin.

Donned in a wizards robe with a long beard and long hair, the hollow eyes of the Slytherin founder of Hogwarts school seemed to be blazing as such unworthy students of blood had entered into his chamber.

Water still as glass surrounded the entire platform Harry and Hermione were now walking upon as Harry spotted the dead body of a giant serpent up ahead, in what Harry was told by Hermione he had killed.

Walking closer and closer towards the dead body of the basilisk, Harry and Hermione also spotted two figures: one was lying on the floor of the chamber while the other's back was turned to them.

Harry looked closely at the body on the floor as he realized that shiny and sleek blonde hair looked familiar to him.

"Harry, Harry, I think that's Malfoy," Hermione whispered over to him, grasping his arm tightly.

Harry looked down upon Malfoy and realized he wasn't moving. Uneasiness started to bubble in the pit of Harry's stomach wondering what had happened to Malfoy.

"So nice of you to finally join me," a cold voice rang out. Harry and Hermione were now looking at the figure whose back was turned towards them.

"What do you want," Harry asked, as he guided Hermione behind him to shield her from any harm.

The voice cackled about as it turned around to face the two Gryffindors: Gregory Goyle, fellow sixth-year Slytherin stood before them however his face was vastly different than what Harry had remembered from that day he saw him in the library.

His eyes were glossed over in a hazy white, the irises of his eyes could not be seen; he had a long gash that hung about his face, stretching from the corner of his right eye down to his chin; he had a trickle of blood oozing from out of his nose, while patches of his face was matted with dirt and grime, yet a sinister smile was plastered across his face.

"Oh you shouldn't be worried about my injuries Potter for they are far, few, and in between compared to his," Goyle said, pointing to the unmoving body of Malfoy, in a voice that sounded totally unlike his own. "See for yourselves," he said.

Harry and Hermione cautiously made their way over the blond-headed Slytherin and shifted him carefully over onto his back. When they did so, they both jumped backwards, disgusted by what they saw.

Malfoy's face was covered in blood; a deep gash on his forehead was still issuing vast amounts of blood out of his cold, pale body.

"What did you do to him," Harry asked, sickened by the sight of such a gruesome scene.

"What he deserved, Potter, and don't try to fix him up…you just might find yourselves in the same situation," Goyle drawled eying the wands of both Harry and Hermione.

The two students stood to their feet as Harry asked, "What are you going to do, Goyle? Take the both of us on?"

Goyle smiled a twisted sneer as he said, "I am not Goyle, you filthy half-blood…I am just presiding in his body. But just for your own knowledge: Goyle is dead; I killed him in the hospital ward of St. Mungo's."

Harry realized this situation he and Hermione were was much more dangerous than he had originally imagined.

"Then who are you," Harry asked as he felt Hermione shaking next to him.

"I am an old relic, a being if you will, of the noble Salazar Slytherin; my powers able me to possess any soul I deem worthy enough to fit my illustrious mind."

"So it was you then, that attacked us in Hogsmeade," Harry asked.

"Yes it was me you fool, and believe me, if I wasn't distracted by the hooded intruder, you bodies would have crushed by my magic. It's by an ounce of luck the two of you survived," he spat out.

"Why are you here," Harry asked, "What do you want? Are you going to murder everyone deemed unworthy to study magic in your eyes?"

Slytherin was quiet for a moment before he said simply, "No. I am not here for that."

"Then what are you here for," Harry asked again, his hand gripping his wand in a tight fist.

Slytherin seemed to study Harry for a long moment before he said, "I am here to impose freedom for the wizarding community."

Harry scrunched his face up, not understanding what he meant by his words. "What do you mean?"

"I don't know if either of you two know but the ruling body that governs over you and your families are schemers. The Ministry of Magic is a schemer, the newly-elected Minister is a schemer, Dumbledore is a schemer and they must be terminated, terminated with undue prejudice," Slytherin replied in a terrifying voice.

"I have come back to propose freedom, freedom from the chains and bonds you all find yourselves tied down to; you are all slaves to the minds of drones that govern your everyday life without you knowing anything about."

"You're mad," Harry whispered, not believing in a word Slytherin was telling them.

"Am I, Potter? I know all about you…and your past. Yes, I was here in the bowels of my chamber when you murdered my basilisk. I saw you and my heir dance around one another before your committed that treacherous murder."

"Your basilisk tried to kill me," Harry responded, his voice hard, not entirely sure if this was true.

"Well all have a choice to make, do we not? Your choice was to commit an act of murder. My choice was to not murder the two of you when you entered in my haven and I'm still choosing not to murder either one of you…no matter how soiled your blood really is," he said evenly, looking over at Hermione with disgust.

"Our leaders persecute our ideologies…they make us out to be the villain. We are called upon by our "moral duty" to do what is right, not by our own obligations but by our government's hidden agenda. I tell you that it is all such a farce; a lie to make us believe we are to support our government even though our moral fibers does not run in conjunction with what they support.

"We run around in circles with one another yet only the government carries the ultimatum while we, common folk, are left with the violence that consumes our city streets, the fear that spreads throughout our communities, and we are supposed to show tolerance and respect to those that rule over us.

"We are being chained to a discriminatory network, where the willpower to fight has long died away, a slow and painful death. We are trapped in a never-ending darkness that threatens the banes of our existence: to be civilized and to achieve greatness. A huge fence is being constructed, covering the lies from the truth and we are being kept from voicing our opinions and concerns because we hold no power of our own.

"These ruling powers ask us to trust them yet they are our parasites, sucking the lives out of our own bodies and indoctrinating our uses for their own. They spew out lies, laced with a perverse hatred, in order for war and violence to take place. When the war and violence they created becomes too extreme, they dash in, hand out tokens of peace to both sides, and claim a moral and decisive victory in calming the two sides of the same storm."

Harry was stunned into silence; he could not move a muscle; he felt Hermione had stilled beside him too, as he knew she was listening to every word that came out of his mouth.

"The one thing I cannot stand is a liar; they must be terminated…terminated by any means necessary to end their rule of undermining those that have no power over them. You will soon realize that those who hold power are the most vulnerable to deception."

"So that's why you came back then…to free us from our government," Harry asked after a deceptive quietness.

"Precisely; to purge the people that rule over you and your friends as the horrors of the atrocities they have committed are due for an awakening. The wizarding community must know the actions they have undertaken: not the lies they usually tell but the total and absolute truth. Only then can our bounds be forever broken."

"But you wanted to rid Hogwarts of Muggle-Borns," Harry commented, "You thought that were not fit to study magic."

"I did," Slytherin replied, nodding his head ever so slightly. "In my time, a war was brewing…an unrest if you will between those that tolerated Muggles and those that did not. You see, Muggles believe our magic comes from a dark deity and the only way to rid the world of such evilness is to kill us, to commit genocide. I have seen horrors that have been lashed out by both sides of the fight; to think, the wizarding world was on the brink of extinction by a fight over an ideal that was a long lost cause."

Slytherin reached into the robes of his own house and pulled out a large dagger, its sharp point gleamed against the light still emitting from Harry and Hermione's wands.

"But no more…I will end this fight now with the murders of three young students whose bodies might never be found in the depths of madness."

Harry's beating heart thumped wildly against his chest as Slytherin took steps towards he and Hermione. Harry had to think of a way of stalling him; he had to tell him something, anything that could buy them a few more minutes to live and concoct a plan to esacpe.

"Why don't you use Goyle's wand to kill us, then? It would be much easier, wouldn't it," Harry asked harshly.

Slytherin stopped and replied, "Because, you witless worm, killing you by magic hinders my point I am trying to make. Muggle slayings would add to the fact that the Muggles are the most violent beings, having us against them separates civil people from the insane."

Slytherin stepped forward again, raising his blade as he did so as Harry and Hermione stumbled backwards.

Suddenly, out of seemingly nowhere, a broomstick flew into existence, momentarily distracting Slytherin.

Using the few seconds of diversion, Harry and Hermione raised their wands in unison and yelled, " _STUPEFY_!" Two jets of red light flew out of the tips of their wands and hit the Goyle-possessed body directly in the face; he crumbled to the floor in a heap.

Harry and Hermione looked around and saw James flying towards them, a proud smile on his face.

"Fancy seeing you two here," he said, as he steered his broomstick over to Harry and Hermione.

"James, where did you get that broom," Hermione asked, looking at him incredulously.

"From the Room of Requirement; I miss flying around, I played Chaser for the Gryffindor Quidditch team in my time, so I thought hard about the room providing me with a broomstick so I could fly around and it did! Amazing that room is," he finished.

"How did you know we were in here," Harry asked.

"I followed you of course," he replied simply.

"So I wasn't going insane…that was your footsteps that I heard following us down the corridors," Harry commented.

"That's correct," he replied.

"But why didn't you say anything to us," Hermione asked.

"Because, I heard Harry going all dramatic…it sounded like he was losing his mind. I was going to call for help if I needed to," he replied.

"Help," Harry repeated, looking over at the still form of Malfoy. Harry ran over to him followed closely behind by James and Hermione.

James recoiled in disgust at the Malfoy's disfigured face; his blood was beginning to dry across his pale skin yet he looked worse for wear.

"Malfoy," Harry said, giving his shoulders a small shake, "Can you hear me?"

There was no response from him; a sickening feeling washed over Harry as he, along with James and Hermione, bent over Malfoy wondering if death had took him.

"Malfoy," Harry said again, "Malfoy…,"

Malfoy's eyes suddenly popped open as his hand wrapped around Harry's throat. Draco Malfoy looked as if he was possessed: as his own blood continued to fall down the sides of his face and his hand was wrapped around Harry's throat, squeezing and crushing whatever he could, his mouth was twisted into a cold sneer.

Hermione, after recovering from the sudden shock, made to help Harry, however, Malfoy, with his free hand, swung violently out at her, punching her in the temple. Rage coursed through Harry as he saw Hermione fall to the stone floor in a heap.

James bent over Hermione as Harry and Malfoy struggled with one another, the grip of Malfoy becoming stronger and stronger by the second; the Slytherin-possessed Goyle began to stir behind the pair, grabbing the dagger back in his hand.

Deep cries echoed throughout the chamber, bouncing off of its cold walls and reverberating down the lengths of its tunnels.

Before Harry could do anything else, a voice called out with mangled fury, " _CONFRINGO!_ "

Harry's throat was suddenly released as Malfoy was blasted backward.

Malfoy was blasted into Goyle who then impaled himself with his own dagger, piercing his right eyeball. He fell to his knees, screaming in pain and torture with his hands clawing at his face, leaving behind deep red lines, as black ooze coursed out of his eyes, nose, and mouth. His shaking hands reached up, touching the skin on his face as the black goo seeped out of Goyle's dead body.

Harry pointed his wand at Malfoy and yelled, " _INCARCEROUS!_ " As Malfy was bound in ropes, Harry and James ran over to Hermione who was still lying on the wet, cold floor as Goyle's bodies twisted and withered behind them, his violent cries echoing around the hall.

James carefully turned her over so that she was lying on his knees as Harry poured over her. "Hermione…Hermione…are you alright?"

As her eyes fluttered open, a wave of relief washed over Harry; the relief was so powerful in that Harry would never forget it.

She moaned slightly as Harry asked, "Hermione, are you hurt?"

Her left hand reached slightly towards her head where Malfoy had punched her. As Harry started massaging her injury, James spoke, "Harry, we have to go to Professor Dumbledore and tell him everything; this has gotten way out of hand."

As Harry looked down into Hermione's pain-stricken face, he nodded in agreement. Harry stood to his feet, waved his wand, and yelled, " _ACCIO FIREBOLT!_ "

A few moments later, Harry's broomstick swept into the chamber, flying directly in front of him. "I'm going to take Malfoy, I want you to take Hermione. We're going to fly out of the chamber and into to the hospital ward; from there, we'll call Professor Dumbledore and tell him about everything, including you."

James nodded his head while he helped Hermione gingerly to her feet. Harry walked over to the bound Malfoy; his face was smeared with his own blood, grime, and the black gunk that ushered from out of Goyle's body.

Malfoy's eyes grew wide in terror seeing the look on Harry's face; Malfoy was trying to squirm away yet the ropes holding his body together held him down like an anchor in the ocean. Malfoy opened his mouth and started mumbling incoherently, groaning and whimpering down at Harry's feet. Harry pointed his wand at Malfoy's chest and said darkly, " _STUPEFY;_ " Malfoy went limp.

Harry awkwardly placed Malfoy in front of him on his Firebolt as he looked over and saw Hermione sitting in front of James, her head falling back onto his shoulder.

Harry nodded towards James as he willed the broomstick to go forward with James following close behind.

Harry and James raced their broomsticks back out of the chamber, leaving Goyle's dead body behind. They flew on in the darkness through one tunnel after another before Harry bolted upwards through the main vestibule and emerged in the second-floor girl's lavatory; he looked around and saw James as well.

"Let's go," Harry said, dismounting his broom while he supported Malfoy. Harry grabbed James' broomstick as he carried Hermione in both of his arms.

Suddenly, the voice of Professor McGonagall rang throughout the castle as she said, "All students are to report to their dormitories immediately; all teachers are to report to the base of the Astronomy Tower now."

As her voice cut out, Harry and James looked at one another in fear; they did not need to speak about it as they both heard the impatience and trepidation laced in their Transfiguration professors voice.

"Harry, what are we going to do," James asked.

"We have to go to the hospital wing, for Hermione," Harry stated firmly.

"'M alright," came a weak voice. Harry and James looked down and saw Hermione had her eyes open as she was clutching her wand in her fist.

"What did you say," Harry asked, dropping Malfoy down onto the rough concrete floor.

"I said I am fine; I don't need the hospital wing," she repeated more firmly than before.

"Hermione, I think we should still take you there so Madam Pomfrey can look you over; you took a nasty hit to the head," Harry stated, grabbing Hermione's hands in his.

"No, we heard the urgency in Professor McGonagall's voice; something is wrong and we have to help," she said, standing to her feet without any support.

Before Harry had time to answer, a voice cried out, " _BOMBARDA MAXIMA!_ " The floor where the trio was standing suddenly exploded into smithereens.

Harry and Hermione were blasted into one wall while James was thrown backward back into the girl's bathroom.

As the dust settled, Harry peeked open his eyes and saw Malfoy dashing away, his wand in his right hand; he was headed in the direction of the Astronomy Tower.

Harry and Hermione stood to their feet and sent jets of red light at him yet their curses flew over his head. Harry rushed back into the bathroom and helped James to his feet.

"Are you alright," Harry asked, looking over James to see if he had any serious injuries or wounds visible.

"I'm fine, Harry, let's just get that jumped up Slytherin," he seethed, picking up his broomstick he used before.

Harry picked up his Firebolt as he nodded towards Hermione who climbed on behind him. Together, the two broomsticks rose into the air and then bolted down the corridor towards the Astronomy Tower.

"Follow me," Harry yelled over his shoulder at James as they entered the Entrance Hall. "Hermione, can you open those doors," he asked her over his shoulder.

" _REDUCTO_ _MAXIMA_ ," she cried out, sending a jet of white light towards the front doors of the castle; they blew apart, something Harry thought would most certainly be locked this time at night.

Harry and James raced over towards the Astronomy Tower in the cold January night; immediately, Harry knew something was wrong as he saw jets of light clash into each other on top of the tower.

As they flew closer and closer, jets of green light were fired at them. James broke away from Harry to avoid the killing curse as Harry swerved sideways.

Harry took out his wand as he yelled, " _STUPEFY_ ;" a jet of red light flew out of his wand and narrowly missed a cloaked figure whom he presumed was a Death Eater.

As his eyes focused on the chaotic scene before him, Harry saw the professors of Hogwarts battle the Death Eaters that had somehow managed to invade the castle; in one corner however, he saw Dumbledore cornered by Snape with the latter pointing his wand at the former.

"Hermione, over there," Harry shouted, pointing at Snape.

" _PETRIFICUS TOTALUS_ ," she cried out; however, he curse was blocked by another Death Eater.

The Death Eater fired a jet of purple light over at Harry who maneuvered his broom out of the line of fire; out of the corner of his eye, he saw James raining down spells on his enemies below him.

As Harry flew closer towards the ongoing battle, an explosion rocked the entire tower, as a massive fireball had emitted from the wand of a Death Eater, sending down large pieces of rock onto the black grounds below.

As more and more spells clashed in mid-air, Harry could see the bodies of foes and allies start to fall.

However, just as he was about to fire off a curse of his own, he saw Snape raise his wand; he didn't hear the words yet a second later, a jet of green light hit Dumbledore in the chest.

When this happened, Harry's vision suddenly became patchy. For at that moment, his memories came flooding back into his head, so much so that it felt like a powerful wave had washed over him ten times over.

Memory after memory poured into his mind again as he watched in horror as the headmaster's body fell from the top of the Astronomy Tower.

His body tumbled over and over in a sickening dive as he plummeted towards the earth; yet everything came back to Harry.

Not waiting another instant, Harry dove his Firebolt down towards the falling headmaster. He felt Hermione wrap her arms tightly around his stomach with her head bent behind his back as Harry willed his broomstick to fly ever faster.

Closer and closer he flew towards Dumbledore whose eyes were open eerily; just as Harry reached out a hand to grab him, Dumbledore's body suddenly disappeared.

Harry looked wildly over his shoulder in confusion when he saw James had grabbed the lifeless body, framed against the glowing moon that was resting behind him.

As tears streaked down his face, not knowing when they started falling, Harry heard a series of _POPS_ from up above. Guiding his broomstick back up to the top of the tower, he saw only the Hogwarts professors left; their attackers, along with the murderer of Professor Dumbledore had fled, leaving behind a trail of horror.

Back down in the depths of the Chamber of Secrets, a baby serpent slithered out of Goygle's mouth. Taking a look around, the snake slid its way off of the platform the dead body was resting upon and into the waters of the chamber and out of sight.


	29. Warmongerings

Harry Potter and a Marauder Revival

Author's Note: Hello everyone! I hope you all had a very Merry Christmas and some festive cheer! I now present you with Chapter 29 of "Harry Potter and a Marauder Revival!" Chapter 30 is a work-in-progress and it will be posted **WEDNESDAY NIGHT!** Thank you everyone that has reviewed thus far (all of the reviews have been utterly fantastic - both the good and bad); if you wish, feel free to leave a short (or long) review for Chapter 29. Happy reading!

Chapter 29: Warmongerings

Harry was stunned; not a moment ago, he had watched a Hogwarts professor murder their headmaster; not only that but his memories had resurfaced. Harry turned his head sideways to take a look at Hermione who had streaks of tears wiping away the grime that had covered her face; her arms were still clutched tightly around Harry's middle.

Harry then looked up towards the glow of the moon as two shadows flew towards them, one supporting the other.

"Follow me," Harry called back, seeing his father have a one-armed grip on the body of their fallen Hogwarts leader.

Together, the two brooms flew gracefully down towards the sloping grounds that surrounded the castle, the stillness of the night betraying the fact that a major fight had just taken place.

"How did you do that," Harry asked James, who was breathing heavily, as they both gently laid Dumbledore on the ground.

"Do what," he asked in a soft voice.

"How did you catch Dumbledore; I was on my Firebolt," Harry addressed.

"I saw that great old bat, Snape, point his wand at Dumbledore; I flew over there to see if I could stop him but it was too late; I was close to where Dumbledore had fallen from," James replied.

Harry nodded his head as the trio looked down at the lifeless body: his warm blue eyes turned to glaciers, frozen over, not comprehending what had just happened as they stared up at the three young Gryffindors, the warmness extinguished for eternity.

"What do we do know," Hermione asked; Harry noticed for the first time since landing, she had wrapped herself around his right arm.

Pulling free from her grasp to wrap a warm embrace around her shoulders, Harry said, "We have to tell the other professors; that is our only option right now."

"Where do you think they'll be," Hermione questioned.

"Most likely the hospital wing," James said before Harry could answer, "I saw some of them with serious injuries."

The darkness of the night pressed in around them as lights started popping up from behind the glassed windows of the castle, bathing the grounds in a momentary illumination.

Harry took out his wand from inside his jacket, pointed it at the dead body, and said, " _WINGARDIUM LEVIOSA_." Instantly, the form of Dumbledore was lifted into the air, seemingly as light as a feather, as the three students, with Harry in front, walked into the still-blasted open front doors of the castle.

The fires that rested on top of evenly-placed pedestals made the shadows of Harry, James, and Hermione dance behind them. Not a word was spoken because quite frankly, what else was there to say at the present moment?

In silence, the three ascended the staircase leading off of the Entrance Hall, not meeting a soul about. The castle was so quiet that their footsteps sounded like the loud thuds of someone banging wildly off of a colossal gong.

It was quite an eerie sight: the comatose body of the most celebrated headmaster Hogwarts had ever seen being levitated by three young kids, all of them looking as if they had run a marathon through the Forbidden Forest.

Walking along a long corridor in which the hospital wing was situated at the end of, a flurry of hushed whispers reached their ears.

 _"I'm telling you, Horace, I saw Professor Snape, while now ex-Professor Snape, shoot the killing curse over at Albus,"_ the voice of Professor McGonagall was heard.

 _"But why in Merlin's beard would he do such a thing…it just doesn't add up,"_ replied the voice of their Potions master, Professor Slughorn.

 _"I don't know…I actually have no clue at all as to why he did what he did but what's done is done,"_ she replied.

 _"How did Severus escape,"_ asked the tiny voice of Professor Flitwick,

 _"After Albus…well after he fell, the wards of the school crumbled upon his…upon his fall,"_ came the teary voice of Professor Sprout. _"But Minevra has erected them once again, acting upon her duty as Deputy Headmistress."_

As Harry was about to step through the doors of the ward, he felt a tug on his jacket so that he jerked backwards.

"Harry, before we go in there we need a plan," Hermione said.

"A plan for what," he asked.

"For James," she replied simply. They both looked over at James who was staring transfixed at the body of Dumbledore. "We can't simply reveal him so suddenly to all of the professors."

"Well what do you suggest we do, Hermione? I think that telling the professors about him will certainly give us some more breathing space so we don't have to transfigure his appearance all the time…I mean, sooner or later, someone is going to find out about him."

"Oh, I don't know, Harry; giving up such a huge secret as this is bound to cause a lot of trouble," Hermione said, her eyes filling with apprehension.

Harry placed a comforting hand on her shoulder as he replied, "Trust me, Hermione, nothing bad is going to happen to James." Harry very much wanted to kiss her at that moment, to chase away the demons and terrors that hid behind her warm eyes, but he felt the opportunity was ripe.

With a slight nod of her head, Harry said, "James, come over here for a second." As James approached, Harry started, "Listen, I think right now, the best thing to do is to show the professors the body of Dumbledore…then, afterwards, we'll reveal to them you, James."

At this, James' eyes bored into Harry's, trying to convey any sense of meaning left behind; upon this, James asked, "And are you sure this is the best way to go about things? Before, we were only going to let Dumbledore know about me."

"Yes, well, things have certainly changed since then," Harry replied solemnly. "James, we can't keep going around trying to hide you from the professor's sights; your existence in our time will be found out about."

James nodded his head in silence, giving way to the plans of his unknown son. "Okay, just wait out here until we call you in; one revelation at a time."

With this, Harry and Hermione walked through the partially open doors of the hospital wing, following behind Dumbledore.

Silence greeted them after the creaking of the doors altered the professors to their presence. All eyes were transfixed upon this other-worldly sight that had befallen them.

"Potter, Granger, what is the meaning of this," McGonagall demanded, standing to her feet as her face paled considerably.

"We recovered the body of Professor Dumbledore," Harry replied, indicating the floating body before him.

"I-I s-se that," she stammered, trying to not look at the lifeless corpse, "Where did you find him?"  
Harry looked over at Hermione who returned his gaze; he gave her a comforting smile before he called out, "James."

Footsteps were heard as James Potter, in his sixteen-year-old self made his way slowly into the hospital wing; the eyes of Professors McGonagall, Slughorn, Flitwick, Sprout, and Hagrid grew wide in disbelief.

McGonagall was so stunned she stumbled backwards a few steps, clutching the outline of her heart. "How…how is this possible? Do my eyes deceive me or are you J-James P-Potter?"

"I am," he replied though his face was turned towards Harry.

"I don't understand," she replied, "How did you come to be here?"

"That is something that I'm not entirely sure of either, professor; it is why we were going to speak with Professor Dumbledore tonight before…well before everything happened," he finished lamely.

"When did you arrive," their Transfiguration professor asked.

"The night of Professor Slughorn's party; the last thing I remember was I was dancing with Lily Evans; then everything went black and I opened my eyes to find myself in the Entrance Hall. I found Harry and Hermione in the Great Hall and I've been staying at the Grangers residence over the holiday," he replied.

The eyes of the professors found each other, whispering their shocked sentiments; as this was going on, James returned his gaze back towards Harry…back towards his son.

Hermione's eyes traveled between the two Potters: James' gaze was not lost on her as she and Harry had never told James Harry was his son; not until Professor McGonagall spoiled their secret moments ago.

"Mr. Potter, please close the door; there are matters that need to be discussed," McGonagall said. At her words, both Harry and James made to move to shut the doors of the hospital wing. Seeing the other, they both stopped, unsure as to which Potter McGonagall referred to.

Rolling her eyes and sighing heavily, Hermione, noticing their actions, slammed shut both doors, alerting both Harry and James back into reality; as she did this, Madam Pomfrey moved the body of Dumbledore to a nearby bed, conjuring curtains out of thin air to protect him from prying eyes; she did this with a light sniffle of her nose.

"Please, everyone take a seat," McGonagall announced, waving her wand to make comfortable-looking chairs appear for everyone in the vicinity.

Harry looked around and summarized that every single professor of Hogwarts was here in the hospital wing; the tenseness that filled the ward told Harry that there was something else at work that the professors kept hidden from the students.

"After the events of tonight, I'm afraid the Ministry of Magic is going to leave us with no choice but to enact the Federal Presidium of the Hogwarts High Council." At her words, a quiet hum of murmuring broke out however, Harry, James, and Hermione had looks of confusion plastered onto their faces.

"What is the Federal Presidium of the Hogwarts High Council," Harry asked, standing to his feet.

Professor McGonagall sighed as she replied, "Ever since the inception of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, the Ministry of Magic has believed Hogwarts needed a higher ruling authority to govern the happenings that occurred within the school's walls. However, it was never put into action because the professors of this school along with its headmaster or headmistress, has taken the safety of its students very seriously.

"However, there was one time the High Council was nearly initiated: it was in the year of 1943 with the death of a student which coincided with the first opening of the Chamber of Secrets. Yet, after Hagrid was framed, the High Council accepted the fault and the act was not carried through.

"But, with recent events beginning in 1991, the Ministry has been pledging for a reform of sorts for the students of Hogwarts to make this place, in what they prefer to use, 'a safer environment for young minds.' Recently, the events of hiding the Philosopher's Stone within these walls, the second opening of the Chamber of Secrets, the finding of the once-convicted murderer, Sirius Black, on the grounds of the castle, along with the death of Mr. Diggory in the Triwizard Tournament, has the High Council nearly screaming for their initiation," McGonagall finished.

"What does this mean, Minevra," Madam Pomfrey asked quietly.

"It means that the Ministry of Magic is looking to interfere with Hogwarts again," she replied gravely.

Harry was astonished, so much so that he couldn't find the words to say what he wanted to say. He looked down at Hermione who had weariness in her eyes while James had his mouth hanging open.

"Professor," Harry said at last, finding his vocal chords to still be working, "Does the Ministry forget who they sent not only a year ago when they last tried to interfere with Hogwarts?"

McGonagall turned towards Harry and said with her hands clasped in front of her, "Headmaster Dumbledore has brought up that argument with the current Minister himself; however, Minister Scrimgeour reminded Professor Dumbledore that the Ministry was under a different administration at that time."

"But that doesn't mean this time will be any different," Harry countered, "It seems as if the Ministry will never learn from their own mistakes," he remarked, remembering upon how he and Dumbledore were labeled cold-blooded liars by the Daily Prophet just last year, trying to spread fear within the wizarding community…the Ministry did not even think to step in and stop the printing press. And the back of his hand still bore the outline of _I must not tell lies._

"I understand, Potter, and it just so happens that I agree with you," McGonagall said, "And Headmaster Dumbledore did as well. Try to understand that it was only by Professor Dumbledore's accord that the High Council was never put into action."

"But was that the right choice to make," Professor Flitwick asked, standing to his feet; seeing everyone in the ward still look down upon him, he decided to stand on his chair instead.

"Like you said, Minevra, our students have been placed in danger for a long period of time; the Chamber of Secrets incident nearly closed down the school! We can only guess about how many episodes that could have been prevented if the High Council was issued."

"So do mean to say, Filius, that you agree with what the Ministry of Magic has been purporting for over six years," McGonagall asked.

"No, heavens no, not that long…it's just that with recent events, I'm thinking it might not be such a bad idea after all. Like it has been said before, the Ministry is under a new order and I, for one, support our government with its continued fight against You-Know-Who," he proclaimed.

"And what continued fight, may I ask, do you believe they are acting upon," came the voice of the only centaur in the wing, Professor Firenze, "As I recall, the Ministry of Magic is trying to weather this upcoming storm my race has predicted yet they were unable to successfully exterminate You-Know-Who along with some of his fellow Death Eaters decades ago."

"I see what you mean, Firenze, but it was undeniable that the first rise of You-Know-Who took everyone by surprise, even Dumbledore himself! With his growing threat, the Ministry of Magic has accepted the fact he has returned and, from my point of view, is taking steps to ensure the safety of our students and of the next generation," Flitwick replied.

"But how can you assess the fact the Ministry won't turn heel and starting governing Hogwarts out of their own self-need? This is a school, I say, not an administrative authority," Professor Slughorn said. "If Albus was against the act of the High Council, I certainly cannot approve of any such measure."

"May I be prudent, Horace, but I reason that it is not up to you alone as to whether or not the High Council was be enacted," replied Professor Sprout, "It is up the Ministry and the Ministry alone."

"If that is so, why hasn't the Ministry issued the go-ahead for the High Council reform? Albus has been strictly against this ruling ever since he has been the Hogwarts headmaster! We, as professors, have all followed strongly for his beliefs," Slughorn said back.

"I am afraid that Albus was not omnipresent, given fact by the betrayal of Severus," Septima Vector, the Arithmancy professor, piped in.

"Besides that fact, we are not a force that is to be policed," Slughorn argued back. "You know, as well as I, what will eventually happen: the High Council will turn on us."

"Horace, forgive me, but you make it seem like that High Council is our enemy. Needn't I remind you that the Ministry is on our side in stopping You-Know-Who from taking total control of not only of the wizarding community but all of Britain," Vector replied.

"And I needn't remind you, Septima, that the Ministry has been inconclusive in setting up any precaution when both Albus and Harry over here told them that You-Know-Who had returned," Slughorn replied, staring at the Arithmancy professor dead in the eye.

"Having no limitations against You-Know-Who when he comes knocking on our front door won't do us any good, Horace," Aurora Sinistra, the Astronomy professor, said, "There has to be a natural order on our side if we are to ever fully put a stop to You-Know-Who and his followers; we shan't turn down this opportunity."

"Would you really see as having the Ministry interfere as an opportunity," Firenze asked, "Because from my view point, they have well-played their hand in expressing their undue influence to have total power control, something that is dangerously reminiscent of what You-Know-Who is aiming for."

"Comparing the two is like comparing a cornered lion and a hunting tiger: it is incompatible to do so," Flitwick responded, stamping his foot in mild frustration. "Albus has told us time and time again to not get involved yet, looking back, what exactly has that led to? We have the death of a professor, one professor whose memory was wiped clean, another professor was kept prisoner for nearly a year; that's not to mention having one student killed in an obsolete tournament as well as having numerous others petrified!"

At this, Harry grabbed Hermione's hand and squeezed it without looking at her; he felt her squeeze back not even a moment later. Harry looked over at James who seemed to be waging an internal battle with himself.

"I agree, these periodic incidents happen far too often every year; something must be done to stop it," Sprout said.

"I think we can all agree that these affairs are very dangerous for all of our students and faculty involved, but the prime misgivings comes from the fact as to how should be eliminate these occurrences," McGonagall replied.

"Well, I think having to initiate the High Council will be what is best for the school and its occupants," Flitwick replied, squaring his shoulders, "And once word gets out about the death of Albus, the Ministry will employ the council whether or not we all agree to its terms."

"I also agree that we need a ruling body to corner the falling situations Hogwarts has come to endure these past couple of years and I support the High Council," Sprout said.

"As do I," came the voices of Professors Sinistra and Vector, along with the Ancient Runes professor, Bathsheda Babbling, and the Hogwarts flying instructor, Madam Hooch.

"I am against the ruling and I will continue to fight against it," Professor McGonagall said, facing Flitwick, "There is something more sinister at work which I fear will completely obliterate Hogwarts if we do not try and defend it."

"I, too, am against any legislation that will place any members of the Ministry of Magic within these castle walls," Firenze said, standing next to McGonagall.

"As do I," said Slughorn, standing on McGonagall's other side.

"Me as 'ell," came the gruffly voice of Hagrid, who had been quiet throughout much of the night.

Another moment later and Madam Pomfrey also voiced her approval in siding with Professor McGonagall.

Only Professors Trelawney and Binns had remained neutral; Professor Trelawney's eyes had been moving back and forth throughout the entire debate.

For one, Professor Trelawney has had a deep mistrust in the Ministry of Magic, especially after last year when she was nearly thrown out of Hogwarts by the evil Ministry of Magic employee, Dolores Umbridge; yet, she felt conflicted in siding with Firenze, her counterpart in teaching what she preferred to call, her subject, of Divination; Professor Binns, on the other hand, looked rather bored to be there.

"Well…it seems as if for one of the first times, the Hogwarts staff is at odds with each other," Flitwick said. "However, we shall all soon know what is to become of our school."

"You must understand, Filius, even if the High Council is to be enacted, we will not stop in having it removed, no matter at what price," McGonagall voiced.

At this, she swept from the hospital ward, waving her arm, beckoning for Harry, James, and Hermione to follow her; she gave one last, fleeting look at the bed Dumbledore's body was occupying before she left.

The minds of Harry, James, and Hermione were racing at what had just transpired in front of them; yet, they were put on edge seeing how divided the professors of their school were on the issue of the Federal Presidium of the Hogwarts High Council.

"Sherbet lemon," she said to the stone gargoyle guarding the entrance to the office of the Hogwarts headmaster; the stone figure jumped aside, revealing a staircase leading upwards.

Once inside her office, Professor McGonagall conjured three more armchairs for Harry, James, and Hermione to sit in.

"Take a seat," she said sternly as she waved her wand; a patronus of a cat appeared; after several seconds, the blue form of the cat bolted into the office's fireplace and disappeared.

McGonagall then turned her attention back towards the trio and said, "How did you three escape from Gryffindor Tower? Every head of house put protective enhancements on every entrnace; there was no way you could have passed them."

"Professor, we weren't in our common room," Hermione said, setting her shoulders straight, "We had just come from the Chamber of Secrets."

Their Transfiguration professor stared at them for a long, hard moment. In a shaky voice, she continued, "Do you mean to tell me that after everything you have just heard, you still employ in dangerous tactics that could mean the end of Hogwarts?"

"Professor, it was on my own accord that we were in the chamber," Harry replied, "It was my decision and mine alone."

"And what was so imperative that you needed to venture down there, Potter," she asked, her eyes blazing.

"I don't even know…we found a possessed Goyle down there along with Malfoy," he replied.

"Goyle," she asked, puzzlement spreading across her features.

"A possessed Goyle," Harry corrected her, "A spirit of some sort, in the form of Salazar Slytherin, had possessed him. I know it's hard to believe but it's the truth," Harry said, seeing the look on her face. "You have to believe me; Goyle is lying dead down there while Malfoy escaped."

"Goyle is…dead," she asked in disbelief.

"Yes, he is dead," Harry replied downcast.

After a solemn shake of her head, she quickly changed gears as she said, "I will recover his body later but before then, I want all of you to listen closely to me: there are to be some hard times ahead, especially with the Ministry. Upon the death of Albus tonight, I am positive the High Council will in instated to govern over our school. However, it is imperative that you listen to this: you are to not get involved.

"We are dealing with much more than politics, I'm afraid…we have to upend the integrity of our school but we have to do so under a different authority. You know what's to happen: the Ministry is not going to take any chances with us."

"They wouldn't arrest us…would they," James asked.

McGonagall turned her attention over to James; by the look on her face, it seemed as if she had completely forgotten about him.

"I don't know at what lengths they'll go to keep a firm grasp on their 'alleged' tactics they are using to fight You-Know-Who but Albus has seen and so have I…they are getting desperate; the war, I'm sorry to say, is not going well."

"They wouldn't try us for treason, would they," Hermione asked, looking up at her Transfiguration professor.

"I wouldn't put it past them," she answered gravely.

Suddenly, the sound of flickering flames filled the office; in unison, they turned towards the fireplace to see Remus Lupin as well as Arthur and Molly Weasley step out of the now green flames, one after the other.

Curious glances were shot over at Harry, James, and Hermione (along with a dark look from Molly Weasley). McGonagall told them everything that had happened that night, starting with the death of Dumbledore.

"Albus dead…the disintegration between the Hogwarts faculty…what does this mean, Minevra," Molly asked.

"I don't know exactly but the Ministry will be heralding in this issue of the High Council come morning," McGonagall replied, "I fear we will all become targets soon if we don't agree with their ideas."

"Can nothing be done about this," Lupin asked, his face masking that of a graveyard cast in shadow.

"The only thing I can tell you is that we can think up of something to counteract the Ministry's tactics; I tried telling Filius this, along with some other professors, but he would not hear of it: the Ministry is trying to take hold of Hogwarts; according to Albus, they consider it the last, great stronghold if open war were to ever break out," McGonagall replied, her mouth set in a grim line.

"D-do you think that we should side with them," Molly asked, "I mean, Arthur has a job within the ranks of the Ministry…that is our livelihood; that is how we feed our children; surely you can't ask us to go against them, could you?"

"Albus told us that dark and difficult times were ahead…this is exactly what he meant. There are times where we must all determine where our loyalties lie…this is a defining moment for all of us. We have to stand up and fight against tyranny and fight for our freedom; I fear that oppression will soon consume those challenging the power of You-Know-Who and sooner, rather than later, our numbers will crumble," McGonagall replied.

As silence descended upon the office, McGonagall looked away from the new arrivals and over towards Harry, James, and Hermione saying, "I think it would be best if the three of you went back to Gryffindor Tower."

"But professor, what about James," Hermione asked, "He hasn't anywhere to sleep."

At the mention of the name "James," both Arthur and Molly exchanged astonished expressions.

Molly exclaimed, "Bless my soul, what is James Potter doing here? He should be-,"

But before she could finish her statement, Lupin intervened and said, "In bed, I presume, just in bed; you have all undergone a life-numbing event; rest is what is best for the three of you."

"Yes, I agree; Potter, Potter, and Granger, I shall think you will want to not partake in the wonderings of the students of Hogwarts; proceed down to the hospital wing and tell Madam Pomfrey to give you a dreamless potion," McGonagall ordered.

The three nodded their heads without uttering a single word; as they left the office, Harry heard Molly ask, "How did he come to be here, Minevra?"

"I don't know…it's a mystery to us all," she replied.

In all of the perilous thrills and dawning trepidation of what is to come, not one person noticed that the portrait of Albus Dumbledore was absent from the Hogwarts Headmaster's office.

Instead of traveling down to the hospital ward, the trio made their way outside into the still cold, January air.

"Do you think it's really going to happen," James asked once they were outside, "The High Council, I mean?"

Harry looked over at Hermione while she nodded her head with her arms wrapped around her shoulders. "Yes, I do; what Professor Flitwick said does make sense when you think about it: there have been many dangerous exploits many students have taken while at Hogwarts…I don't particularly blame the Ministry from trying to interfere but it's the matter of their interference that is unsettling."

"What do you mean," Harry asked.

"Well, Hogwarts has a lot of undue influence over the wizarding community; if the Ministry took control of that influence, it would hold a tremendous amount of power. The only problem would is that those who hold that kind of prestige are highly corruptible."

"That's exactly what Salazar Slytherin told us earlier tonight," Harry said.

"Exactly…maybe the words he spoke held some truth after all," Hermione replied.

"The Ministry's always been corrupt, though," James intervened, "Even in my own time, I remember my parents bad-mouthing our governors; it seems like it's no different in this era."

"Maybe the Ministry has always been corrupt but in good times, we turn a blind eye to it; however, when the bad starts to unfold, we become highly critical that they aren't doing enough," Hermione said. "We are all at faults which we can trace back to our human nature; it is what our imperfection implies."

Crickets chirped all around, sounding almost as if they were inclined to produce music for old folk tunes.

After a few moments, James looked over to Harry and said, "So, Potter, huh? I'm just going to take a wild guess and say that that's not a coincidence of any kind?"

Harry gave him a tight smile and replied, "No coincidence; none at all." Harry studied his father's face; he was surprised to note that James didn't look flabbergasted at all. "Did you know?"

"I had my theories; I may wear glasses but I'm not blind you know? There are clear similarities between the two of us that cannot be overlooked: for one, we look identical…well, everything except for the eyes, I would say."

"Did you know back in 1976?"

At this, James grew wide-eyed as he asked, "You, you got your memories back?"

"You didn't know?"

"But…w-when did this h-happen," James sputtered.

Harry looked at his father as he replied, "Right when Dumbledore died."

"When Dumbledore died," he repeated. "Does that mean Dumbledore put you under some kind of enchantment or spell and it was broken because of his death?"

"I dunno…it's a mystery, much like how you came to be here."

"What do you think will happen if I'm stuck here forever? It would completely disrupt the notion of time…I mean, Harry…I've no idea what would become of you," James said sincerely.

"I'm sure something will be figured out…sooner or later," Hermione said. "We may not have Professor Dumbledore any longer but we do have each other."

"But now my secret is out…everyone will know that James Potter is back in the flesh of his sixteen-year-old self," he exclaimed.

After he said this, he stopped dead in his tracks; he gasped loudly as his eyes widened in shock. "How could I have not seen this before," he mumbled quietly.

Hermione gave Harry a curious glance as they both noticed James drastic and sudden change.

"James…are you alright," Hermione asked attentively.

He seemed to have not have heard her as he placed both of his hands on top of his head harshly, his fingers digging into his scalp as if he was trying to extract his own brain. His breathing became ragged as he looked wildly around.

Sweat began to pour down his face as he looked around at Harry and Hermione. However, they seemed to have changed as well. Their eyes glowed a deathly red as their skin started to melt away like burning wax running away from a lighted candle.

"Harry? Hermione? Y-You're m-melting," James stuttered not knowing what else to say, his horror growing by the ticking second.

The now skeletal forms of Harry and Hermione then began to hack away at themselves with sharp shards of glass they had seemingly conjured out of nowhere. Blood started pouring down their thin frames as the dark grass had begun to swell with pools of what looked like bright red paint.

James rushed over to them, trying to stop them from harming themselves any further. His heart hammered wildly in his chest as his palms began to sweat. He struggled for fresh air as he began gasping for oxygen.

His vision began to black out around the edges as he grip loosened on his son and his son's best friend. He felt himself growing weaker and weaker by the second, as he struggled to keep his limited supply of oxygen flowing to his brain.

He was going completely mad, totally and utterly insane. James felt his eyelids shut like heavy shutters blowing against a strong wind storm; he faded away in darkness.

"Harry…Harry I think he fainted," Hermione said, as they both leaned over him.

"What made him do that," Harry asked.

Hermione looked up at Harry as she said, "I think he realized he…well that he died sooner than he had imagined. James is not stupid, Harry; he can put two and two together and I think that's exactly what he did. He must have had some sort of panic attack or something."

"Well, let's take him back up to the hospital wing then," Harry said, gathering an arm of James and placing it around his shoulder as Hermione did the same.

Together, Harry and Hermione supported the weight of Harry's father, as they stumbled around in the darkness and into the castle.

At the same time, the acting deputy headmistress had made her way down into the Chamber of Secrets along with Remus Lupin. As they walked toward the towering figure of Salazar Slytherin, they both saw patches of dried blood and a dead body: the body of Gregory Goyle.

As Lupin conjured a stretcher for the fallen Slytherin, neither McGonagall nor Lupin noticed the five baby serpents watching them from afar. The baby serpents then slithered away and into the murky waters of chamber and out of sight.

After Harry and Hermione had taken their dreamless potion (as James slept away in the bed next to theirs), Professor Slughorn awoke from his night terror, sweat pouring down his face. He kept this secret long enough, he thought to himself. It was time for them to know.

He stumbled out of his bed and over to a dressing cabinet. He opened the second drawer and plunged his hand inside of it taking out a small glassed object.

'No, no, this could be done at dawn; then, then I'll tell them,' he thought.

'But the Ministry could take over come dawn; the news will be out by now that Dumbledore has died; this must be done at the earliest opportunity! Who knows what will happen if the High Council is enacted in the morning! Hogwarts might even temporarily be closed!'

'They are probably sleeping anyway; I can't go barging into Gryffindor Tower and demand to see them,' he thought in his head. 'I'll tell them in the morning.'

Slughorn thought about putting his object back in his dressing drawer then thought better of it and decided he would sleep with it resting in his hands so he wouldn't forget about it in the morning.

A thin vial was in the Potions master's grasp, a strand of a silver, hair-like wisp floating about.


	30. Prelude

Harry Potter and a Marauder Revival

Author's Note: Hello everyone! Here is Chapter 30 of "Harry Potter and a Marauder Revival!" I hope you enjoy it! This chapter was intended to be a long chapter (much like Chapter 28), however, as I was writing it, it turned out to be too long; so I made the decision to split this chapter in half with Chapter 31 being the second part. The good thing about this is that Chapter 31 will be posted **THE DAY OF THURSDAY!** I just have to polish up some scenes and I will post that chapter straight away; just a heads up, Chapter 31 will be a pivotal chapter in my story and action-packed. Anyway, if you wish, let me know what you thought of Chapter 30 with a short (or long review)…it doesn't matter to me as I enjoy all of them!

Chapter 30: Prelude

The room was pitch black; the thin light-beams of the waning moon were the space's only source of light…however, that was soon to change. Suddenly, the fireplace burst to life in a dazzling form of green flames as Remus Lupin stepped out of the grate, dusted his ragged clothes off of soot, and stepped into his living room.

Waving his wand haphazardly, a lamp situated in the corner of the room was turned on, bathing the walls in a yellow glow.

No, his home wasn't much…well, that was if one could call it a home; Lupin thought if anyone were to see where he lived, they would consider it more of a run-down shack situated on the outskirts of London.

The lights of the wondrous city seemed to try and lure him out at night as he could view the many glistening towers of glass and steel that thundered into the sky. But he never gave in to the temptation…no, he was too dangerous for that.

As he looked around his small living room, he noticed the patches that covered his only couch along with a small table situated on spindly legs, seeming as if the supports of the table were going to snap at any moment which would surely catch Lupin unaware.

He shrugged off his coat and draped it over the couch; although many people were sure to scrunch their noses and faces into disgust as to what he called his living quarters, to him, this was home…a place where you longed for if you were to ever be separated from; a place which held the comforts of his mind; it was his dwelling, his place where he could hide from the rest of the world.

Lupin walked into the kitchen, the boards of the floor creaking like whining ghosts under his feet, and fetched a glass of cold milk. As he gulped the drink down his dry throat, his mind wandered over to the recent events that had taken place: the headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry dead…the Federal Presidium of the Hogwarts High Council was to be instated over the castle…surely Albus had mentioned to him more times than he could count that under no circumstance was the High Council ever to take a role over Hogwarts.

As these thoughts pounded through his head, a knock was heard thrice upon his kitchen door. He waited in bated breath as two soft knocks were heard followed by a resounding final pound.

A small smile crept over his lined and aging face as he walked slowly over to the door, drawing his wand.

"Who goes there," Lupin asked, his voice steady.

"It is I, Kingsley Shacklebolt, an infiltrator of the Ministry of Magic and a recent recruitment of the Order of the Phoenix," came a deep voice.

Lupin opened the door to see Kingsley Shacklebolt, dressed in dark velvet wizard's robes, a tight yet warming smile upon his face.

"Come in, come in," Lupin ushered, "It's best not to wander out and about during these times."

As Shacklebolt walked over the threshold and into the home, Lupin shut the door behind him, waving his wand only to hear the door lock itself a moment later with a soft _CLICK_.

"Well, Kingsley, what can I do you for tonight," Lupin asked after he motioned for the powerful wizard to take a seat.

"I'm sure you have heard the grave news of Albus's passing, am I correct," he asked, getting right down to business.

"Yes, I'm afraid Minevra has already broken the information to me already," he replied, the sounds of sorrow echoing through his vocal chords.

"Is is true that Severus, someone who Albus trusted in with his life two times over, struck the final blow?"

Lupin looked over at Shacklebolt; he noticed a golden loop dangling from his right ear; his current features that covered his face didn't seem to fit him: as Shacklebolt was very broad-shouldered, the look of a lost puppy he wore on his face seemed almost comical to Lupin; a laugh started to bubble in his throat but he choked it down and nodded his head instead.

"What is this world coming to," Shacklebolt asked, more to himself, shaking his head in disbelief. "It seems as if we can only place our trust in one another now," he said more loudly, his low voice rumbling off of the walls.

"I wouldn't be so sure of that," Lupin said.

"And why is that?"

"There have been rumors that have been growing even before I was hired to teach at Hogwarts about the Federal Presidium of the Hogwarts High Council. With these recent events, especially after the death of Albus, Minevra is convinced the High Council will be instated over Hogwarts," Lupin replied.

"And what is your position of the matter," Shacklebolt asked, one of his eyebrows quirked upward.

Lupin rubbed his knees absent-mindedly as he replied, "I don't know; talking with Minevra, it seems like it's a ruling body trying to give itself more power by diversifying its tactics. However, talking briefly about it with Arthur and Molly, the High Council seems like the best option for Hogwarts now than ever before, especially since our community is in the midst of an open war. The Hogwarts professors are divided on the idea."

"I wouldn't expect anything less," Shacklebolt commented.

After a moment of silence, Shacklebolt nodded his head as he stood to his feet; he began pacing in front of Lupin with his hands behind his back.

"There are other matters, Remus, that I'm here to discuss," he said in his low voice.

"Oh," was Lupin's only reply.

Lupin waited, rather impatiently, for Shacklebolt to continue; usually, when he brought news, it turned out to be news Lupin rather would not want to hear.

"The Ministry, as you know, is becoming desperate, though not in the sense that is losing the war but rather that it wishes for this war to be over as soon as possible. This High Council is something that has been discussed many, many times over the past decades as the Ministry views Hogwarts as one of the main strongholds in the fight against You-Know-Who.

"I've been sent to you, here tonight, as the Ministry of Magic is willing to pardon you of being a werewolf, something I'm sure that has troubled you in the past."

Lupin's ears perked up as he asked, "What do you mean by 'pardoning me' of my condition?"

"It means that the Ministry will give you any job you are qualified for, if you wish to take one; they are also willing to reimburse you of gold that has been unjustly kept from you as you have been unable to take many respectable jobs before because of your condition; and finally, the Ministry is going to give you a lifetime supply of the Wolfsbane Potion, hand-brewed for you and delivered right to your front door."

Lupin was stunned by this information. Surely this was some twisted joke being played about yet Shacklebolt was never much one to play pranks before.

"What am I to do for these things," Lupin asked.

"Show your support for the High Council," Shacklebolt replied simply.

"All I have to do is show my support," Lupin reiterated with caution. As Shacklebolt nodded his head, Lupin asked, "What would my support do for the Ministry? I don't think the support from a poor werewolf would hold neither influence nor credibility."

"You're missing the point, my friend. Your influence could be a strong turning point in the on-going wizard-werewolf relations. As you know, the werewolf population is rather hard-hearted against us wizards and with good reason. You-Know-Who has been scouting mercilessly among the werewolves, namely Greyback whom you have a history with. However, with your support, the Ministry is willing to give full pardon to all werewolves, Remus…all of them.

"Greyback is recruiting werewolves to You-Know-Who's cause with deadly threats and they're listening; one by one, they are started to rally behind him."

"But You-Know-Who is offering them a lifetime supply of human blood…well Muggle blood to be exact," Lupin responded bitterly.

"I know that and so do they but the werewolves also know that You-Know-Who has already been defeated once before; that is something they have not forgotten. The Ministry is willing to give full pardons for anyone that sides against You-Know-Who. Think about the bigger picture, Remus; having the werewolves on our side would be a positive step forward in both establishing stronger ties between the two races along with our fight against You-Know-Who and his legion of Death Eaters."

As Lupin's mind struggled to keep hold of everything Shacklebolt was telling him, the Ministry worker waved his wand; a second later, a thick paper-booklet, bound in solid leather floated gently into Lupin's hands.

The heavy-bound leather bore the Ministry logo on its cover; Lupin opened the booklet and read the title, _"The Full Pardoning of the Werewolves: An Extensive Guide into Reestablishing Werewolf-Wizard Relations and Our Future as One."_

"Think about this, Remus, this could be one fundamental step in ensuring the survival of our wizarding community in Britain. Although I cannot comprehend your condition, I know, as your friend, this is something you have always wanted.

"The world is changing and the world is starting to be more accepting to those unlike themselves; past figures than have been labeled as villains are now known as heroes. Try and think this through, Remus, it is one of the more positive aspects that have passed through legislation recently. I also hope the Ministry has your support of the Federal Presidium of the Hogwarts High Council…it is what is certainly best for the school and its students. Goodnight, my dear friend."

With a small _POP_ , Shacklebolt was gone; Lupin, however, didn't notice for he had sat down on the floor of his living room; with the thick, leather booklet in his hands, he began to read.

Miles away, in that same hour, Alastor Moody, better known as Mad-Eye Moody, was reading the Evening Prophet. In big bold headlines, the newspaper screamed, _"Breaking News: Dumbledore Murdered; Ministry Sigs the High Council into Law!"_

Moody started to read the article; however, the more and more he read, the more and more his face screwed up in disgust.

"Who in the world wrote this blasted article," he nearly screamed, his voice growling through his empty house. "Rita Skeeter, that foolish one-eyed troll! How much is the Ministry paying her to be a biased gargoyle…she can't even write one damned fact," he yelled, slamming his fist against his tabletop.

"What a shame; Albus would be rolling in his grave knowing the High Council is to be instated over Hogwarts. Why is it that our Ministry is so easy to deceive; don't these thick-headed ghouls understand that overstretching their might makes it easier for the Death Eaters to infiltrate?"

For any other person, having a one-sided conversation with oneself might seem slightly off for who would talk to himself late at night and in the dark? Moody, an ex-Auror, or dark wizard catcher, didn't think these thoughts in the slightest…no, he was too worked up to even comprehend that his last, real eye, was losing its sight, ever so slowly, yet if Moody kept reading in the dark as he has been doing for the past two years, he would surely go blind in his right eye come New Year's.

Suddenly, a soft pattering was heard; in an instant, he was standing on his real leg and his wooden leg, his wand out, as his ears listened in a deathly quiet for any further noise.

Though retired, Moody's days as a dark wizard catcher and fighter, heightened his senses to be alert at all times; not once did he ever let his guard down; he has seen too many deaths for that to happen again.

Another soft patter was heard; he heard it coming from his kitchen door. There was no way Moody could quietly creep over to the source of the noise; losing his leg in a battle with a pack of Death Eaters back in the late seventies, hobbling was the best he could do and that's exactly what he did.

 _CLUNK. CLUNK. CLUNK._ Moody nosily hobbled over his wooden floor, his leg creating a wild ruckus with each step he took, until he reached his kitchen door.

As far as he could tell, there was no shadow about but his intruder could be hiding under an invisibility cloak.

His wand at the ready, Moody counted: ' _one…two…three!'_

On the number 'three,' the aged wizard opened his door as swiftly as he could and a shower of red sparks emitted instantly from the tip of his wand. However, his sparks flew into the bark of a tree where it emitted a flare of red embers that dissipated into the dark night.

"Ruddy ears," he mumbled, shutting his kitchen door closed, "Can't hear like I used to."

Turning around, Moody then saw what the source of the noise was for he leapt backwards, pain shooting up both of his legs and into his lower back as he crashed against the doorknob.

"Gave me a near heart-attack, you nearly did," he yelled, clutching his heart with his wand-free hand; for standing in front of him was a cat…and a pair of spectacles was resting on the bridge of its nose.

Mad-Eye Moody wasn't the only wizard whose heart was racing: back within the castle walls of Hogwarts, sweat was pouring down the face of that of James Potter.

The bed sheets from the cot he was resting upon had been strewn onto the stone floor as his body thrashed left and right at least twice every hour; yet no one saw this for the hospital wing was cast in near total darkness except for a single, dying candle near the matron's office door.

No words escaped his mouth, just small grunts and bouts of heavy breathing, almost as if he was gasping for breath.

In the wee hours of the morning, Harry opened his eyes; the first sound that entered into his ears was the soothing voice of Hermione but it sounded far away, almost as if Harry was dreaming just of her voice.

Rubbing the sleep from his eyes, Harry turned his head sideways and saw Hermione next to James, his hand placed in hers.

Harry put on his round glasses and moved the covers off of him and went over to his father's bed. This was when he noticed a washcloth had been placed on James' forehead.

"Is he alright," Harry asked, his voice penetrating the still quiet of the ward.

Hermione looked up at Harry as she said, "He's been moaning in his sleep for quite a while now; plus he has been sweating a lot."

"Do you think we should wake him up," Harry asked, dragging over a nearby chair next to James' bed and sitting down in it.

"If we do, I don't know how James will react; as I've told you before, I think he's figured out that he dies sooner than he originally thought," Hermione replied, placing James' hand back across his chest.

"Hermione, do you think that we could warn him somehow of his death? I don't know if someone has come from the past and into the future before but surely things don't have to happen as they originally had to, do they?"

"I don't know, Harry; this is all very complicated; I think I'm going to go the library after breakfast and see if I can find anything on the matter. For now, though, I think it's best that we tell James as much as we need to," she replied, shrugging her shoulders. "I just wish there was more we could do to help him."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, if you put yourself in his shoes, James was transported into a different time era, one in which he isn't even supposed to be alive in, without his family and his friends; people look at him as if he's some sort of other-worldly creature; he feels lost in a place where he should feel at home," Hermione replied quietly. "It's just not fair."

Harry looked over at Hermione; grabbing her hands in his, he said, "I remember once a very smart witch telling me life's not fair. Do you remember that?" At his question, Hermione nodded her head once. "And do you remember what she told me afterwards?" After another pause, Hermione again nodded her head once. "We have to keep going, Hermione, and be of help to James as much as we are able to do so. I know it won't be easy but if we don't try, what are we here for?"

Hermione squeezed his hands, almost as if she asking for reassurance; Harry smiled over at her and squeezed back.

"What do you think is going to happen with the High Council," Hermione asked after a peaceful moment of silence.

Harry thought about his for a while; in truth, he wasn't entirely sure how respectable the intentions of the High Council really were.

"Unfortunately, remembering what McGonagall told us last night, anything to do with the High Council can't be good."

"Harry, I'm scared about this; you saw so yesterday how divided the professors were. If they cannot agree on the matter pertaining to the High Council, where does that leave the students…where does that leave Hogwarts?"

Harry stared into his best friend's eyes: the warm, brown comfort that usually rested within was replaced by an obstruction of truth; a fear of the future, a fear of the High Council. He wanted nothing more than to chase those fears out of Hermione once and for all; it pained him to look over at her and realize he couldn't be of much help…not until the High Council showed their true colors.

"Hermione, we'll get through this together, I promise you that; me, you, and James. Yeah, the professors are divided on the idea but that doesn't mean they don't have our best interests at heart. I'm sure they'll protect us even if that means admitting they were wrong."

"It's just that this place has been our home for so long that I just cannot imagine anything bad ever happening to Hogwarts. I know our lives have been anything but quiet but having our home, of Hogwarts, edging towards the cliffs of uncertainty…everything feels so unbalanced, almost as if we were all teetering near a tipping point."

"Believe me, Hermione, I won't let anything bad happen to you and I'm positive neither will James."

"I trust you, Harry, I really do," Hermione replied with a smile on her face to which he returned.

Their moment of solitary tranquility was interrupted when they both heard a pecking upon the glassed windows of the ward.

They both jumped at the sudden noise, recoiling both of their hands; looking around, the two students saw a brown-feathered owl with what looked like the Daily Prophet in its beak.

Hermione walked over to the window, opened it, and took the paper from the owl; however, she seemed to remember she didn't have any money to give it.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I haven't any money," she said quietly to the bird; the owl, who looked as it had been highly offended, turned around and flew out of the open window, but not before it gave an almighty _SCREECH_ , letting its anger be known.

Harry watched the owl streak away into the clear blue sky as Hermione unfurled the paper in her hands and began to read.

"Anything newsworthy," he asked casually.

"Yes, the High Council has been signed into law," she replied somberly, holding out the paper for Harry to take.

He did so and stared at the jumping headline: _"Breaking News: Dumbledore Murdered; Ministry Signs the High Council into Law!"by Rita Skeeter._ Harry, looking wearily down the article, began to read:

 _"In a stunning press release late last night, the Ministry of Magic has confirmed the death of famed wizard, Albus Dumbledore. Dumbledore, who has been the headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry for nearly four decades, was supposedly murdered by fellow Hogwarts staff, Severus Snape. This puts into question much debate about the tactics Dumbledore has employed over the ancient school during his tyrannical reign._

 _"The parents of many students in attendance of Hogwarts have called repeatedly for his resignation after expressing concern over Dumbledore's unperceived conception to turn a blind eye over his controversial teaching appointments. Namely, in 1991, first-time teacher, Quirinus Quirrell, was playing host to a manifestation of You-Know-Who; in 1992, the renowned bogus wizard, Gilderoy Lockhart, had his memories permanently removed from a defective wand (though the caster seems to have been inadequate in successfully performing the spell otherwise)._

 _"In 1993, Remus Lupin was hired which raised many concerns from parents being as he is part-werewolf; in 1994, ex-Auror, Alastor Moody, better known as Mad-Eye Moody, was hired though concerns of his disturbed mental state was ignored when brought into question; finally, in 1995, arguably the best-suited candidate, Dolores Umbridge, was hired, though she had to fend off an unlawful oppression from students, led by the headmaster himself, into her resignation._

 _"The Federal Presidium of the Hogwarts High Council seeks to employ a ruling body over the school to reign in its rather rambunctious nature qualities it has endured for several years._

 _"'Yes,' agreed the father of a child attending Hogwarts, Lucius Malfoy, 'I definitely feel my son's development as a wizard will be much better suited with the High Council presiding over the school. I feel that with the High Council, I can put my son, Draco, back into Hogwarts knowing he will be kept safe. I can also breathe a bit easier and sleep better at night than times in the past,' he commented. (For the generous donations the Malfoy family has given to both the Ministry of Magic and Hogwarts School, turn to page 4A)._

Harry crunched up the newspaper in his fist the more and more he read. When he reached the comments made by Lucius Malfoy, he said, "He's going to put Draco back into Hogwarts? His moronic son was attacked by Goyle, one of his supposed best friends! What is he playing at?!"

He looked up at Hermione, his green eyes blazing. She shrugged her shoulders again and said with a trace of bitterness, "What do you expect…that article was written by Rita Skeeter."

Harry, too furious to read any more of the biased article, threw the newspaper on his bedside table, shaking his head in disbelief.

After he did this, two sets of doors banged open: the first set of doors belonged to the office of Madam Pomfrey while the second set of doors belonged to the entrance of the hospital wing.

However, it was the sight of the two approaching figures that made Harry and Hermione alert: while Madam Pomfrey was striding out of her office with a smile on her face, Professor Slughorn, on the other hand, had a crazed look in his eye while tuffs of his graying hair were sticking out at odd angles; he was carrying the Daily Prophet in his hand and a thin glass vial in the other.

"Why, good morning, professor, I didn't expect to see you at such an earlier hour," Pomfrey said once she noticed Slughorn.

He ignored her completed as he strode purposefully over to Harry, James, and Hermione.

"Did you see the Daily Prophet this morning," he asked in a cracking voice.

"Yes, professor," Hermione responded, giving Harry a cautious look before doing so.

"And what did you read about, Miss Granger," he asked as the hospital matron looked between the professor and his students.

"Harry and I read that the Ministry has signed into law the High Council," she replied.

"Did you read anything else, anything at all?"

Harry looked up at their Potions master; he determined Slughorn did not get any sleep at all. "We didn't read anything else past that," Harry commented.

"So then you missed something of vital importance," he said, moving forward and laying the paper on James' still occupied bed for Harry and Hermione to see.

The two students glanced at the paper but didn't see anything out of the ordinary. After a few silent moments, Harry turned and asked, "What exactly are we looking at, sir?"

"The top corner of the inside page, Harry, look at the symbol," he responded.

The two Gryffindors did so and what they saw was a great round green eye; the eye was seemingly watching them and their every move.

"What is it," Hermione asked.

"It is called the Great Eye of the Serpent," their professor replied. At this, Madam Pomfrey gasped audibly, covering her mouth with both of her hands; however, both Harry and Hermione gave their teacher puzzled expressions.

"And what is that," Harry asked.

"During the First Wizarding War, the Ministry of Magic set up a secret branch of informants, known at that time as the Freedom Fighters; it was so secretive that much of the wizarding community had no knowledge of its whereabouts. The Freedom Fighters had one duty and one duty only: infiltrate the ranks of You-Know-Who and bring him down from the inside.

"However, as the war wore on, Professor Dumbledore believed the Freedom Fighters themselves had been either infiltrated or deceived, for they turned rogue against the Ministry itself. When this happened, the Ministry fell into disarray and it nearly collapsed. The Freedom Fighters movement was poisoned by the dark arts as they kept feeding Ministry secrets to You-Know-Who and his Death Eaters.

"Whenever a new Ministry secret was leaked, any eye was left in the department of the Freedom Fighters, always seemingly to be green. It was their trademark of sorts to spread fear and hysteria. Because of this, the name of the Freedom Fights changed into the Great Eye of the Serpent, all-watching, all-knowing.

"On the brink of its own extinction, you, Harry, saved our government from falling into the hands of You-Know-Who as you stopped his reign of terror days before the imminent disintegration of the Ministry. However, the Freedom Fighters disbanded with the fall of You-Know-Who, disappearing with having no other power to cling to other than the power they had betrayed in the first place."

"If they had turned against the Ministry, why didn't the government shut them down," Harry asked.

"The minister had no knowledge of the department…supposedly, only ten people, including the Freedom Fighters, were aware of this; those ten people includes Professor Dumbledore yet he found out about this on his own."

"Didn't he inform the minster," Hermione asked.

"Oh, he did but during this time of mistrust, you couldn't believe just anyone," Slughorn replied with a sad smile on his face. "Think about if the minister did believe Professor Dumbledore: word would have spread about a secretive branch that had turned on our own government that was committed in a fight to bring down You-Know-Who! Think of the paranoia!"

"So then how did you find out about it," Harry asked.

"Professor Dumbledore held a meeting every year before the school opened for term about the High Council; his belief was that members of the Great Eye of the Serpent, previously known as the Freedom Fighters, had merged with the High Council…remember what I told you before: it was about bringing down enemies from the inside."

As these words sank into Harry and Hermione, they soon realized the horrific situation they found themselves in.

"If this is true, why hasn't anyone put a stop to the High Council and why are the professors so divided on the issue," Harry asked, standing to his feet.

"Firstly, no one, except the department head, knew the identities of the Freedom Fighters; three months before the fall of You-Know-Who, the department head, Mark Young, was brutally murdered: his body was found in a lake behind his home while his head was found on his kitchen table; his wife and his young son at the time were beyond distraught.

"Secondly, many professors did not believe Professor Dumbledore and they still don't. They believe the Great Eye of the Serpent is a fabrication our previous headmaster had concocted in his head during his old age. They wanted evidence and he couldn't provide it," Slughorn finished.

"They, they wouldn't take his word for it," Hermione asked, her voice shaking.

"No…and look at the situation now: Professor Dumbledore trusted a man fully and completely; that man he put his full trust into turned out to be his murderer. These are dark times, Mr. Potter and Miss Granger, very dark indeed."

"But what are you telling us this," Harry asked, "Surely you could tell this to the Ministry, couldn't you? You do have many contacts within our government, right?"

"I'm afraid m'boy that contacts only get you so far in the wonderful world of politics; this is a political obstruction in which I have no evidence to show and I would most likely be charged for treason against the government," Slughorn replied.

"So what can we do," Harry asked, "The High Council has already been signed into law."

"Oh, I'm sorry to say the Ministry is way ahead of you, Mr. Potter, for I assume that the members of the High Council are getting ready to come to Hogwarts at this very minute which means our time is very short."

"Our time for what exactly, professor," Hermione asked, folding her arms across her chest.

Slughorn looked at her for a brief moment before he said, "You'll have to excuse me for a minute, I need to talk to Madam Pomfrey."

As the Potions master conversed with the hospital matron, Harry and Hermione looked at one another though this time, their looks were of concern. What did Professor Slughorn have in mind for them?

As the two students kept quiet, they could hear the hushed voices of the two as Pomfrey said, "I don't know if I could allow that, Horace! You must take that up with Headmistress McGonagall."

"Poppy, my time is short and I am acting upon Albus's orders. Do one final check-up on Mr. Potter if you must than I insist we leave the castle before the members of the High Council enter Hogwarts for good. You know, as well as I, they will be unrelenting in seeing who comes in and out of the school; they'll veto any idea I have been ordered to do directly from Albus," Slughorn prompted.

Madam Pomfrey had a frantic look about her as she seemed to be weighing the positives and negatives of the situation she had just been given.

"Oh, very well, Horace, but this is just because these are orders from Albus and I will always trust him until my final breath," she said, rushing over to James. "Out of my way," she yelled at Harry and Hermione.

Conjuring a small vial casing a red liquid out of thin air, she opened it and poured three drops into James' mouth.

At once, he began to blink rapidly as he awoke. His eyes scrunched together from the rays of the sun that had begun to pour into the wide windows of the hospital wing.

"Mr. Potter, do you know where you are," Pomfrey asked.

"The hospital wing," he replied in a sleepy voice.

"How are you feeling," she asked next.

"Tired," was his only answer.

"I'm going to run some simple diagnostic tests on you to see how your body is holding up after what happened last night," the matron said.

"And what happened last night to me," he asked, putting on his glasses.

"You had quite the anxiety attack, I'm afraid, though I'm not sure what exactly set you off." At her words, James' eyes found Harry and then Hermione, his face screwed up in pain and misery.

Madam Pomfrey ran her wand up and down James' body, checking for any lasting fatalities he might have sustained during his attack.

"Well, it seems like you do not have any life-threatening wounds, Mr. Potter, you are free to go," she said in a tight voice.

"Thank you," he mumbled again.

Slughorn walked over to James and said, "Mr. Potter, we meet again, I presume; I remember you quite clearly."

"And I, you," James replied.

"Now, there's no time to explain so I'll tell you three everything when we arrive at our destination," Slughorn said with haste, "Gather up your clothes from your beside stands so we can leave."

"W-We're leaving…why," James asked, his face masking confusion.

"I said there is no time, Mr. Potter, the High Council, I'm sure, is on its way over to the castle at this very moment. I am acting upon the orders of Professor Dumbledore…just do as I say and trust me."

James, giving another strange look at his former Potions master, did as he was told, bundling up his clothes and holding them at his side.

"How are we going to leave, professor," Hermione asked.

"Dumbledore, excuse me, Professor Dumbledore gave me a portkey he created to activate just in case the High Council was to take over Hogwarts," Slughorn explained.

"Are you saying Dumbledore guessed the High Council would be enacted," James asked, his eyes wide.

"Guessed…heavens no, Dumbledore knew."

Reaching into his traveling cloak, Professor Slughorn pulled out a mangled goblet; taking out his wand and pointing it at the object, he said, " _PORTUS._ "

Seeing the still confused expressions on the faces of the three young students, Slughorn said, "Professor Dumbledore created this specific portkey to bring us to a destination he needs us to go to in regards to the High Council. Upon me activating it, it will bring us to wherever he intended for us to go."

As he said this, the object began to glow a bright blue. "Quickly now! Just a finger will do," he exclaimed. Right before they left Hogwarts, Slughorn looked back at the hospital matron, who was watching them with teary eyes, and said, "Thank you, Poppy, and good luck."

With those final words, Professor Slughorn, Harry, James, and Hermione felt a mighty tug behind their naval as their feet were lifted from the stone floor of the hospital ward. As they left so quickly, they did not see that Madam Pomfrey was hit with six jets of red light.


	31. The Romanian Raid

Harry Potter and a Marauder Revival

Author's Note: Hello all! As I said before, here is part 2 of this split-up chapter, Chapter 31 of "Harry Potter and a Marauder Revival!" Chapter 32 is a work in progress and will be posted **MONDAY NIGHT!** This chapter does stray away from canon slightly (this is FanFiction after all) so if you don't want something different than what was in the _Harry Potter_ books, don't read on. As mentioned before as well, this is an action-packed chapter, involving some different ideas; anyway, thank you to everyone who has reviewed thus far and feel free to leave another review for this chapter as well! Happy 2016!

Chapter 31: The Romanian Raid

Harry hit the ground hard; around him, he heard three other _THUMPS_ as well. As he struggled to catch his breath, he blinked a few times only to find his vision blurry; his glasses had been knocked off upon impact.

He heard a wheezing voice ask about, "Is everyone alright?"

"Yeah," came the winded voices of both James and Hermione.

"And what about you, Harry," Professor Slughorn asked.

"I'm fine, I just need to find my glasses… _ACCIO GLASSES_ ," Harry said, only then remembering he was a wizard after all.

As Harry put his glasses, he looked around to find they were in some kind of forest clearing of sorts; the green foliage fell down in long drapes from thick trees that surrounded them. The cover from the trees made it feel as if the sun had already set, plunging their milieu in darkness.

"Where are we," James asked, looking around with his hands on his hips.

"Well, Mr. Potter, as I've said before, Professor Dumbledore didn't give me the exact details of where we would be going, only that this place contains a certain object we must retrieve," their Potions master said.

"You didn't tell us that before," James countered.

"What didn't I tell you before," he asked.

"We had an object to retrieve," he replied.

"Oh, didn't I…well I'm telling you now," Slughorn said.

Harry walked over to Hermione to see a line of dirt smeared across her forehead. "Are you okay," he asked her, wiping the dirt from her face.

"I'm fine, Harry," she replied with a warm smile on her face.

"And did Professor Dumbledore tell you what this object was," James asked, looking through the darkness that seeped through the trees.

"As a matter of fact, he did," Slughorn replied.

The voices of the two carried throughout the forest, creating long echoes that bounced off each bark as it traveled further and further into the woods.

Harry had the distinct feeling they were being watched; he did not know why he felt so but this whole escapade felt suddenly very ominous to him.

Before he could voice his concern, they heard a thick _SWISH_ that suddenly fill the air. They each brandished their wands as a dozen broomsticks suddenly appeared over them with their riders' own wands pointed at them.

"Who goes there," came a deep voice.

Harry, James, and Hermione all looked in unison to Professor Slughorn who replied, "My name is Horace Slughorn, I am the Potions Master as Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. I am here on the orders of Albus Dumbledore."

"Dumbledore is dead," the man said, his voice betraying no emotion at all; Harry looked up at the man who was speaking and saw his black eyes; they seemed like pits of steel and malice. He also noticed the man was wearing a chain with some sort of emblem attached to its end but Harry could not make out what it was.

"Yes, yes, I know that, but he gave us orders to retrieve something here in the case of his possible untimely death," Slughorn replied. "We mean no harm."

"Do you know where you are," the man asked in a deathly quiet voice.

"Well I imagine we are in some kind of forest though that doesn't explain why you have a dozen wands pointed at us," Slughorn answered.

The man cackled wickedly and said, "These Western Europeans…they think they have the whole world figured out; fools…all of them!"

"Now, sir, I would like you to explain where we are and if you would do so in a civil manner, that would be much appreciated," their Potions master said in a loud and bold voice.

The man looked at him, all traces of humor gone. The man opened his mouth to speak again yet no words came out for he was interrupted when a low yet powerful grumbling noise was suddenly heard.

The wizards on the broomsticks turned their heads to look to their right as did Slughorn, Harry, James, and Hermione; what they saw was a pair of steely red eyes peeking out at them in between two trees.

Harry and James both grabbed Hermione and pushed her behind them, shielding themselves between her and this unwelcome intruder.

"Steady now," the man said, his voice had suddenly changed into a businesslike manner, "Be careful…we don't want any accidents today."

"What on earth is that thing," Slughorn cried out.

"Shut up you foolish man! We are going to try to save your lives," the man whispered harshly. He turned to his fellow broomstick flyers and said, "We are going to need a point of distraction…young Balaur thinks these four are lunch meat."

But before they could concoct a plan, a mighty _ROAR_ was heard; it was so dominant that the entire ground shook with it while also causing a multitude of leaves to fall to the forest floor.

"I want each of you to take small steps backward away from the dragon…don't break your eye contact with it and we shall see if we can all get out of this alive," the man said, whom Harry had guessed was a sort of leader among this group that had found them.

As subtly as they could, the party of four took small steps backward, just as they had been instructed to, without every breaking eye contact with those piercing red eyes.

Harry was breathing heavily though he tried not to show it; he heard Hermione taking steady, calming breaths behind him while James had his hands out to his sides, almost as if he was a trapeze artist, walking along a thin rope over a pit of fire.

This was when Harry suddenly realized how cold the environment they were in was; he could see puffs of his breath as he breathed about while his skin was layered with goose bumps, his arm hair sticking straight up.

All was going well until James suddenly stepped on a twig and snapped it in half; the noise pierced the thin air suddenly as the dragon gave another _ROAR_ and charged.

"GET READY," the man yelled out as six broomsticks flew in front of Slughorn, Harry, James, and Hermione, all pointing their wands at the approaching animal.

From behind them, Harry could see the great dragon knocking over a half a dozen of trees as it surged forward with brute strength and velocity.

Harry felt himself being picked up from behind; turning his head, he found himself aboard a broomstick, sitting behind a fellow worker. Craning his neck around, he found Slughorn, James, and Hermione in the same state.

A ball of flame flew at the workers that were trying to fight off the dragon; they scattered in all different directions to avoid being burned.

The dragon, named Balaur, spread its gray wings apart, its span covering the clearing they were all in.

Cries flew into the air as jets of light rocketed towards Balaur; some of the spells hit it but with its thick hide, they were unable to much damage, if any at all.

Balaur snarled nastily, gnashing its razor-sharp teeth as another wave of spells flew at it. The great dragon then swished its tail, using it as a weapon, taking down at least four different workers; Harry noticed they fell to the ground in a heap, unmoving.

"WE HAVE TO GET OUT OF HERE," one worker screamed above the sounds of the dragon and the yells of the workers.

"WE CAN'T JUST LEAVE, WE HAVE THE RESCUE THEM," the main leader called back, nodding his head at his fellow peers that were lying motionless on the forest floor.

A line of fire was then directed towards Harry; the worker he was riding behind skillfully moved them out of harm's way only for Balaur to chase them.

It was only then Harry realized who he was riding behind: red haired and broad-shouldered, he suddenly said in this wallow of madness, "Charlie?"

Charlie Weasley turned around with a huge smile on his face and said, "Took you long enough, Harry! I was beginning to wonder if you didn't recognize me!"

Harry felt a smile tug up the corners of his mouth as he soon realized where they were: they had traveled to Romania. With Charlie here, they could only be at one specific place: the dragon reserve.

But why would Dumbledore send them here; what is at the dragon reserve that it is so important for them to retrieve?

His thoughts were interrupted as his stomach flew into his throat as Charlie made the broom go into a straight dive. Harry looked over his shoulder and saw Balaur had stopped chasing them and was instead trying to snatch at broomsticks flying around its head.

"Charlie, we need to get out of here," Harry yelled, seeing a broomstick streak past him with three people on board, two of which had deep gashes on their faces.

"I'm working on it, Harry, but we need to make sure everyone gets out of the clearing! We can't leave anyone behind," he said over his shoulder.

Harry frantically scanned his eyes, trying to find both James and Hermione. The broomstick Hermione was on was near the ground as the worker she was with picked up an unconscious body from the forest floor; James, on the other hand, was firing curse after curse at the dragon; Harry didn't think James knew he was antagonizing it further.

As more and more broomsticks exited the clearing, the dragon shot a tremendous fire of flame over at Charlie and Harry. Charlie expertly moved out of the line of fire and shot three jets of light over at Balaur in quick succession. His three spells hit the dragon in the face; the great beast swayed a little, seeming to be affected by what had just hit it.

"Okay, time to go," Charlie said, as he turned his head away from the dragon. As he did so, he did not notice the tail of Balaur swing up and collide violently with them; their broomstick broke in half as Harry felt himself falling towards the hard earth; his shoulder was paining him as his vision began to become spotty. He heard his name scream about until blackness took him.

Back at Hogwarts School, an eruption of green flames took hold of the fireplace located in the office of the headmistress.

Startled, Professor McGonagall whirled around to face the grate only to find a man stepping out of it and into the office.

"How do you do, Minevra," the man asked, nodding his head politely in her wake.

"Who are you," she asked, eying him through her thin spectacles. She took in his appearance: he was tall with a built frame; he also had short dark brown hair, styled as if he was a famous politician; the suit that he wore could easily have passed on a Muggle street.

The man smiled tightly at her as he replied, "My name is Brice Dalton and I am the head of the Federal Presidium of the Hogwarts High Council."

"You are, are you," McGonagall said in a stiff manner, already disliking this man that had arrived unannounced in her office.  
"That is correct," he replied simply.

"And may I ask why you came into my office; as far I as I'm concerned, I did not believe I had any appointments today."

Brice gave her a smile that did not reach his eyes. "It is to my knowledge that per the Minister of Magic, the High Council has been signed into law today, meaning Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry is under direct authority of our government. Taking the High Council into effect, we are now to see the operations of this school. In fact, members of the High Council are already in this castle; they arrived through Hogsmeade."

"And why, Brice, did you floo directly into my office," McGonagall asked.

"Well, Minevra, I thought it would be best to introduce myself personally as I am apt to do on formal occasions."

"You shouldn't have wasted your time," the Transfiguration professor replied.

"Might I remind you that the actions the staff of Hogwarts takes is to be reported directly to the Minister himself," Brice said.

McGonagall stared at him for a long, hard moment before she asked, "Are you threatening me with my job?"

"No…not yet," he replied shortly. "Now, I think it is time we get to work, don't you?" And with that, Brice Dalton opened the door of the office and exited. McGonagall already didn't like the man…there was something very sinister about him. Although he was well-groomed, McGonagall guessed his insides portrayed nothing less than malevolence.

Nonetheless, she followed him out of her office, making sure to place a strong locking charm on it, to see where he would go.

As they descended into the corridor, six men, dressed in wizard's robes, came up to them, their wands drawn. All six men clasped their right hands over their hearts, a form of salute, McGonagall guessed.

"Sir, Harry Potter has escaped, along with one professor, and two other students," the man at the front said at once.

"How on earth did three students and a professor escape from Hogwarts? This castle is bound by some of the strongest magic on the continent," Brice said in a calm demeanor. He turned towards McGonagall and asked, "Do you know anything of this, Minevra?"

She shook her head from side to side as Brice's gaze pierced her: his cold, bright blue eyes were unforgiving.

After a long moment, he turned away from her and asked, "And where did you see them escape?"

"From the hospital wing," the same man replied.

"Take me there at once." The party of eight walked in silence towards the hospital ward, their shoes clicking against the stone floor of the castle.

Upon entering the wing, McGonagall saw Madam Pomfrey slumped over a hospital bed, her eyes closed and her breathing faint.

She rushed over to the matron and asked fiercely, "What is the meaning of this?! What did you do to Poppy?"

The man at the front answered again, "She might have been playing host to helping one professor and three students escape…it is imperative in these dark times that everyone remains together."

"So you had to stun her…and not even care for her fallen state afterwards…what kind of animals are you?!"

Before McGonagall could do any more, the matron's body was suddenly lifted carefully into the air and laid to rest on a nearby bed; the Transfiguration professor looked around to see that Brice had directed this act.

"She needs her rest, Minevra, these members were only doing their job," he replied in a cold voice.

She walked up to him, seething, and replied, "I didn't know your jobs required you all to act like a band of foolish barbarians. Have you no respect for figures in authority?"

"I might ask you the same thing, seeing as I am in authority now," Brice replied.

Before McGonagall could reply, Brice continued, "Seeing this recent turn of events, it is my job as the head of the High Council to make sure every student and professor is safely in the castle. Seeing as young Mr. Potter, along with two fellow students and a professor are not here, I think it is prudent to have a roll call in the Great Hall; we need to be made aware if there are any other students or staff missing at this very moment."

"How dare you order me around! Why not have one of your yobs do you own bidding," she asked bitterly.

Brice leaned forward with a twisted smile on his face and said in a dark voice, "Have your students and your staff be in the Great Hall in five minutes, Minevra."

As the students of Hogwarts trudged into the Great Hall some minutes later, Harry Potter was resting on a cot, the healers of the reserve having just finished looking him over.

"How is he," Hermione asked nervously standing to her feet, seeing the two healers exit the tent Harry was resting in; she was supported by Slughorn, James, and Charlie.

"He is fine, just fine; he had two cracked ribs and a punctured lung…quite a nasty fall he had but we fixed everything up. What he needs now is rest, plenty of it, and he should be completely healed by tomorrow morning."

The healers walked past them and back towards the collection of tents the reserve workers resided in several yards away. Hermione slowly let out a breath she did not know she had been holding in. The party of four went into the tent and all took chairs around Harry.

Hermione looked down at Harry who seemed to be resting peacefully with his hands placed on his chest and his eyes closed.

"At least he didn't get permanently hurt," Hermione said quietly, "And I'm sorry about your broomstick, Charlie, I saw what happened to it."

"Don't worry about it, Hermione, it was just a clean snap; it was already been repaired," he replied with a smile.

"I'm just glad he wasn't hurt too bad," Hermione reinterred softly.

"No, he didn't, but what were you guys doing in the middle of a dragon pen," Charlie asked, looking first at Hermione, next at James, then at Slughorn, before returning his gaze on Hermione, who herself looked over at Slughorn.

The Potions master sighed heavily and said, "We used a portkey from Professor Dumbledore to get here, just in time I presume."

"Just in time, what does that mean," Charlie asked, folding his arms over his chest, casting a strange look over at Slughorn.

When he didn't answer, Hermione cut in and said, "Charlie, have you seen the Daily Prophet today? I don't know if they deliver the paper to Romania?"

"Yes, they do, actually; the Ministry has fortifications all over the wizarding communities in Europe," he replied.

"So you saw the news about Dumbledore's death then," she asked.

At this, Charlie looked down on the ground and nodded his head. "Yeah, I saw that," he said simply.

"And you also saw that the Ministry has signed into law the High Council," Hermione pressed on; Charlie nodded his head. "That's what we escaped from…Dumbledore believed that the intentions of the High Council are anything but caring as he felt the High Council is enacting upon a rogue department within the Ministry of Magic, the Freedom Fighters."

"What are the Freedom Fighters, exactly," Charlie asked.

Slughorn intervened and answered, "They were a department set up to try to bring down You-Know-Who from the inside; it was extremely secretive; so much so that about ten people knew about its existence. However, either through an infiltration or being deceived, the department turned against the Ministry and told You-Know-Who and his Death Eaters the tactics the Ministry was to employ in the war.

"The Freedom Fighters changed their name into the Great Eye of the Serpent; I saw their logo on the Daily Prophet today."

Charlie looked dumbfounded at what he had just been told; half of him seemed to accept this information while his other half deemed it all a bunch of folly.

"H-How did you come by these decisions about the Freedom Fighters and all," Charlie asked, his eyebrows quirked upwards. "Forgive me but this all seems a little far-fetched."

"I know it does and that is exactly why many professors don't believe in it…only a handful do. Professor Dumbledore found out about this during the peak years of the war. Not many people know this so I want you to all keep this between us: Professor Dumbledore initiated the Order of the Phoenix to fight against both You-Know-Who and the Great Eye of the Serpent," Slughorn said. "Do you have a copy of the Prophet?"

Charlie took out his wand and said, " _ACCIO PROPHET!_ " After a small instant, a newspaper flew in through the tent flap they were situated in. "It was in my own quarters not far from here," he explained, shrugging his shoulders. Slughorn reached out for the paper but Charlie gave him a weary look and asked, "May I ask who are you, again? Forgive me but I don't recognize you."

"Very well, my name is Horace Slughorn and I am currently the Potions master at Hogwarts. I was retired until this past summer when Dumbledore and young Harry here visited me to coerce me to come out of retirement. Albus and I go ways back," he replied, taking the paper from Charlie.

Opening the fold, Slughorn pointed out the great green eye, printed in the upper right-hand corner of the spread.

"This, Mr. Weasley, is the symbol for the Great Eye of the Serpent," Slughorn said.

"Hang on…how do you know my name," Charlie asked.

"You have to give me a break: I'm teaching two of your siblings right now," the Potions master exclaimed.

At this, Charlie turned to Hermione and asked, "Are Ron and Ginny alright?"

Bitter thoughts about the two youngest Weasley siblings arose in Hermione's mind but she pushed them down and answered truthfully, "I don't know…Harry and I haven't seen them recently but I don't see why they wouldn't be fine."

Charlie gave her a strange expression that conveyed a lot of meaning: something in her tone of voice told Charlie there had been a schisms of sorts between the four young Gryffindors.

Charlie then turned to James and asked, "And who are you?"

James, who had been silent ever since Harry had been injured, suddenly looked up at Hermione who nodded her head once.

"My name is James; I-I'm a friend of both Harry and Hermione and in Gryffindor," he replied.

"Hmmm, I've never heard Ron nor Ginny mention anyone named James before," Charlie pondered.

James gave a weak laugh and said, "Fancy that?"

Charlie nodded his head once and turned back to Slughorn and asked, "So, professor, what exactly are you here for? You said before that Professor Dumbledore told you what he needed for you to retrieve."  
"Yes, you're right; well, Professor Dumbledore told me to recover some sort of stone, though he did not tell me if the stone was of any power or not. I reckon it was as he told me that after he retrieved the stone, his hand withered down to a blackened state; his hand looked like it was dead," Slughorn remarked, his mouth curved in disgust, "It was a ghastly site I tell you."

"Why would Dumbledore send a stone of that sort over to Romania," Charlie asked, his brow furrowed in confusion.

"The head of this dragon reserve and Dumbledore were good friends; apparently, what was his name…,"

"Donald Richardson," Charlie answered.

"Yes, yes, Donald Richardson was known for his research into dark artifacts. Richardson, as far as I know, was unable to determine what the stone was, however he didn't have…," Slughorn trailed off, patting the front pocket of his traveling cloak.

"He didn't have what, professor," James asked.

Slughorn looked around at James, Hermione, and Charlie looking at him expectantly. "That's another theory for another time," he said.

Charlie shook his head back and forth a few times and said, "I'm sorry but this doesn't really make any sense."

"Which part," Slughorn asked.

"Well…all of it, quite frankly; I-I need some air," he replied, standing to his feet and walking out of the tent flap.

"It is me or are all of the Weasley's heard-headed," James asked.

Hermione looked down at Harry and replied, "Not all of them; can you guys look after Harry for a moment, I'm going to go and talk to Charlie." With a nodding of their heads, Hermione exited the tent after the second-eldest Weasley.

Hermione walked out into a dying sun; the great ball of fire was sinking below the treetops as the air began to grow colder and colder.

Walking a few paces away, she saw a small fire had been lit on the outskirts of a darkening forest.

Hermione walked over and found Charlie staring at the dancing flames, his hands bunched up in his sweater he was wearing.

"Do you mind if I take a seat," she asked quietly; with a nod of his head, she sat down next to him.

For a few moments, the two didn't say one word to each other; the only noise they heard was the licking flames along with the sounds of a wide array of animals.

"Hermione, you don't really believe all of this, do you?"

Hermione turned to face Charlie and replied, "As a matter of fact, I do believe it Charlie. I know you want facts and evidence to support everything you have heard, because I am like that too."

"So then why do you believe in it," he asked, looking over at her.

"Because…it feels like it makes sense. Although I did not know Professor Dumbledore personally, he isn't one to create wild fantastical stories; although I disagree with some of his tactics he employs, there is no mistaking he is a very intelligent wizard, probably the most powerful wizard of the age."

Seeing Charlie's still skeptical expression, Hermione continued, "It all comes down to whether you trust Dumbledore or not."

Charlie laughed quietly, a deep rumble coming from his throat as he said, "Hermione, that's not much to go by seeing Dumbledore put his trust in Snape and…look how that turned out."

Hermione nodded her head a few times and said, "I know and you're right. Even before this all happened there was a time, not long ago, when my trust in Professor Dumbledore was anything but; however, something tells me he is right about the Great Eye of the Serpent; if he wasn't, there wouldn't be any divide among the professors."

Charlie looked over at Hermione again and smiled at her. "Perhaps or perhaps this whole thing is a joke."

"What do you mean?"

"This war that we are currently in; I mean, when you think about it, what exactly are we fighting over? Power from You-Know-Who who is trying to take full control of the Ministry? And what does that eventually lead to? I don't understand this obsession of that they have; it doesn't make any sense. But it's because of this hunger for control that I'm separated from my home."

"What are you saying, Charlie?"

"Ever since the Ministry announced the return of You-Know-Who, I was willing to come home to do more for the Order of the Phoenix. But Dumbledore told me to stay where I was, here in Romania, to try and recruit members into the Order. I love my dragons and all but I wanted to be in the middle of the action. Think about it: your family, including your younger siblings, is all in the middle of an open war back in London, yet you are in a foreign country, literally helpless to do anything but hope no one you know or love gets killed.

"That skirmish you all had back last term in the Department of Mysteries against the Death Eaters, I nearly lost my mind knowing both Ron and Ginny were hurt. I know mum is also weary of this war; with such a big family, some casualties are bound to occur."

"Charlie, you mustn't think or talk like that! It seems like you have already given up on a war that is still on-going! One can only truly lose when he or she stops fighting for what they believe in," Hermione reprimanded. She decided not to tell him about Ron, Ginny, and possibly Mrs. Weasley's actions against her and Harry.

"Listen Charlie, I know you still don't believe in the Great Eye of the Serpent and the High Council's true intentions and all but I do know your family means a lot to you. Stay out of this one, Charlie, please; there's a fight brewing…I can feel it. But, with your father and brother working within the Ministry itself you'll only make things worse."

"Hermione…," Charlie started but she cut him off.

"You know what's about to happen; are you sure you are want to put your father and brother into harm's way? Professor McGonagall told us this is a time to pick sides: if you side against the High Council, there's no telling what would happen to your family."

"I'm going to fight for what's right, Hermione; that's what I've been raised to do," he told her firmly.

"This fight isn't about what's right…this is about playing your cards right. The Ministry of Magic and the High Council are more powerful than us, Charlie; you have to keep your family in mind. I'm sure they have already decided to voice their support for the High Council…and you have to too."

Before Charlie could reply, James' voice was heard, "Hermione, Charlie, come quick…Harry's awake!"

The two stood to their feet and looked at one another. She gave him a small smile before walking away. Charlie looked into the dying fire as he thought about Hermione's words: was he putting his family in danger if he did not support the High Council?

Although Charlie was still weary to believe in the Great Eye of the Serpent, the actions of the High Council presiding over Hogwarts School didn't feel right to him. Nonetheless, he followed Hermione back into the tent.

Once inside, he heard Hermione ask, "What is it, Harry?"

"I know what stone Professor Slughorn is talking about, I think," he replied.

"How do you know of the stone," Hermione asked.

"I was awake…but my eyes felt too heavy to open so I listened instead," he said shortly to which Hermione rolled her eyes.

"What stone do you think it is, Harry," James asked.

"When we appeared in the clearing before, that man that talked to us, I don't know his name, he was wearing a chain with something hanging off the end of it. At the time, I thought it was symbol of some sort but after hearing Professor Slughorn talk about the stone, I'm sure that's what was hanging off of his necklace."

"The man's name is Daniel Atwood," Charlie said slowly, as if he was having a revelation, "The man that was wearing that necklace; I've seen it on him before."

"Hang on, why would this guy, Daniel Atwood, be wearing the stone if Dumbledore sent it to Donald Richardson," James asked.

"Because Richardson is dead," both Slughorn and Charlie remarked.

"He's…dead," James asked in a whisper, "How?"

"Mr. Richardson was…old," Charlie began, "And he was savagely attacked by a dragon…the healers did everything they could but it was too late. He died only several days ago."

"And Atwood decided to take his belongings," James spat out.

"He knew Mr. Richardson had the stone and he always asked about it but Mr. Richardson told him time and time again not to worry about it. Atwood is a sucker for mysteries and with the death of Mr. Richardson, as he was second-in-command, he decided to take the stone," Charlie answered.

"That's what we have to get, professor, is that stone," Harry said.

"Harry, you don't think this is the Philosopher's Stone, do you," Hermione asked.

"No, I remember Dumbledore saying that stone was destroyed," Harry replied, "This is something different."

As the tent was full of conversation, not one person noticed the shadow that was creeping just outside of it.

Hearing what was being discussed, the man knew this was what the High Council was looking for. Stalking away as quietly as he could, the man ran to the coverage of trees; pointing his wand against the now dark sky, the man whispered, " _EXPECTO PATRONUM_ ;" a silver light, taking the form of a raccoon, flew out from the treetops as it soared away across the night sky.

He would have to be quick if this was to be done properly; who knows what punishment awaited him if things did not go as planned; he raced away, with his wand drawn, towards Mark Atwood's tent.

"Harry, we just can't go and charge Atwood, we need a plan to sort things out," Hermione remarked after hearing Harry's rendition of how to retrieve the stone.

As Harry opened his mouth to counter, James cut in and said, "She's right, Harry; we need a plan."

Harry laid his head back and thought. While he did this, the raccoon patronus suddenly appeared in front of Brice Dalton, across the continent, in Hogwarts. A voice, speaking through the patronus, said, "I found the Resurrection Stone; it's here in Romania at the dragon reserve; also, Harry Potter is here as well…they are going to try and steal the stone."

And a second later, the patronus disappeared. Brice set a plan in motion at once; stalking towards the staff room, he opened the door and looked inside; he smiled inwardly to himself when he saw who was in there.

"Filius, I have just been informed that both Harry Potter and Hermione Granger are the dragon reserve in Romania; there is also reason to believe that Professor Slughorn is there with them. Will you please go and fetch them so you bring them back both safely within the confines of Hogwarts," Brice asked, his voice laced with apprehension, as if he was actually concerned about the well-being of the students.

"Say no more, Mr. Dalton, I shall go there straight away," Flitwick said, standing to his feet.

"I have lifted the apparation charms from Hogwarts for the time being so you are able to bring them back safely as quickly as possible," Brice said, "Oh, and Filius, could you please bring one other staff member with you…I don't know if Horace will put up a fight or not, seeing as how he has taken both Mr. Potter and Miss Granger against their will."

"Oh, not a problem, none at all; in fact, why not have Madam Hooch accompany me seeing as she's right behind you," Flitwick said.

Brice turned around and saw the flying instructor, Madam Hooch, standing in the doorframe with a broomstick in her hand.

"What are we to do, Filius," she asked, nodding her head at Brice.

"The High Council has been informed that Harry Potter and Hermione Granger are in Romania at the dragon reserve," he responded.

"Why on earth would they be there," she asked, her brows furrowing together.

"I have no earthly idea but it is best to get them and bring them back here as soon as possible," Brice said.

"Oh, of course, of course," Hooch replied, walking over to Filius.

Before they left, Brice said, "I'm going to send word to the Ministry of Magic to take Horace Slughorn in for questioning; taking two unarmed students against their will is just an outrage," he said.

"Yes, might I recommend Kingsley Shacklebolt? He is one of the best," Flitwick said.

"An excellent suggestion! I will do that at once." Taking out his wand, Brice said, " _EXPECTO PATRONUM_ ;" instantly, a silver light taking the form of a falcon burst from the tip of his wand and flew out of the castle's walls just as Flitwick and Hooch left with a small _POP_.

Sipping their coffees, Kingsley Shacklebolt and Remus Lupin were discussing the on-going wizard-werewolf relations in Shacklebolt's flat.

"I've been talking with some werewolves, Shacklebolt, and I must say that they are definitely interested in hearing about this pardon the Ministry is willing to offer them; I think this is a huge step forward," Lupin said.

"I sure hope so, Remus, I think -," Shacklebolt started but Lupin never got to hear what Shacklebolt thought for at that moment, a falcon, in the form of a patronus, appeared in his flat; the patronus opened its mouth to speak: "Harry, Hermione, and Horace found…at the dragon reserve in Romania." The falcon then disappeared.

Remus looked over at Shacklebolt in a worried manner and asked, "What was that about?"

"Earlier today, Harry, Hermione, and Horace Slughorn disappeared out of Hogwarts; no one is sure how they did it but the Ministry has been searching for them all day…it looks like they finally found them. I'm to go to the reserve, Remus; I need to charge Horace Slughorn for kidnapping."

"Kidnapping? You don't honestly believe a Hogwarts professor would kidnap students, would you?"

"I also didn't think a Hogwarts staff member would commit murderer yet here I stand corrected," Shacklebolt said, "I know of Horace but I don't much about him."

Remus suddenly thought to himself that if Harry and Hermione were at the reserve, James would most certainly be there as well; this could be perilous for everyone involved.

Lupin at the moment made a decision as he said, "Kinglsey, I want to go to the dragon reserve with you."

Back in Romania, as Harry was still trying to come up with a plan to retrieve the stone, a loud alarm blared about.

"What is that," Hermione asked suddenly.

"It means we have a visitor to the reserve," Charlie said quickly, "With one ring of an alarm, we have someone that has apparated onto the reserve; with two rings of the alarm, someone is in one of the dragon pens. I'm going to check on Atwood; stay here!" And with that, Charlie darted out of the tent.

Daniel Atwood heard a knock upon his tent flap. "What is it," he asked without turning around.

"Sir," came a voice.

Atwood turned around and said, "Ah, Mr. Jake Young, what business do we have to discuss?"

"Murder," Jake Young replied, taking out his wand.

"What are you doing, Young," where Atwood's final words.

For at that moment, Jake said in a cold voice, " _AVADA KEDAVRA_." A jet of green light hit Atwood in the chest; he crumbled backwards, over his desk, dead.

Jake hurried over and pulled the chain holding the Resurrection Stone free from the neck of the dead corpse.

Going back outside, Jake found himself face to face with fellow reserve worker, Charlie Weasley and to Jake's horror, Charlie was staring at what was in his hand: the Resurrection Stone.

Jake shot a jet of green light at Charlie; he dived out of the way as Jake took off running. Charlie pulled out his wand and yelled, " _STUPEFY!_ " A jet of red light soared out of Charlie's wand and hit Jake in his back; he crumbled forward onto the ground.

Charlie ran forward and took the stone in his hand. He then dashed inside Daniel Atwood's tent only to find the first-in-command lying dead on the hard ground. Running back outside and looking around, Charlie saw the reserve was now full of workers running about which made Charlie think that more than one person had arrived.

" _ACCIO BROOM_ ," he yelled; a moment later, his broomstick flew into his outstretched hands. Mounting it, he tore off back towards the tent.

Charlie landed outside the tent a few moments later and walked inside.

"What's going on, Charlie," Hermione asked, looking up at him nervously.

"Atwood is dead," he proclaimed; Slughorn, Harry, James, and Hermione all looked up at him with wide-eyes.

"What did you say," James whispered.

"He's dead…a fellow reserve worker murdered him," Charlie explained. "But, I did get this." Charlie held up the necklace and the Resurrection Stone. He handed it over to Harry who looked at it in awe. "Keep it safe, Harry; if Dumbledore meant for you to come here and take it, there's something special about that stone."

"Thank you, Charlie," Harry said, pocketing the stone.

However, at that moment, a voice called out, "Horace Slughorn! I am Kingsley Shacklebolt, an auror for the Ministry of Magic, and I demand you come out at once!"

Everyone inside the tent froze in horror; everyone except Slughorn as he exited the tent, but not before he looked over his shoulder and sent a wink back at the three Hogwarts students and Charlie.

"Ah, Auror Shacklebolt, how pleasant to see you," Slughorn was heard saying.

"Horace, I hereby arrest you for breaking the laws set forth by the Ministry of Magic," Shacklebolt said.

"Breaking what laws may I ask," Slughorn replied.

"For kidnapping underage children, Horace."

"Really? I wasn't aware that I took any children against their will, Shacklebolt, you're going to have to be more specific."

"I am talking about Mr. Potter and Miss Granger," he replied.

"Dear Auror Shacklebolt, you're surely not going to force me into a duel, are you," Slughorn asked.

"I will if you force me to, Horace; you need to be taking in for questioning at the Ministry of Magic; until your trial, you will be placed in Azkaban Prison."

As Hermione gasped aloud, a _POP_ was heard and the voice of Professor Flitwick filled the air.

"You're here already, Kingsley, my goodness you are fast," Flitwick said. Then in a much louder voice, he yelled out, "Mr. Potter and Miss Granger, will you please come out; I am here with Madam Hooch and we are to take you back to Hogwarts…there is no need to be afraid…I know you are in there."

Hermione looked at Harry and then at James with an anxious expression on her face. "What do we do…what do we do," she exclaimed wildly, beginning to pace down the inside length of the tent.

"Hermione, we have to go out there and tell them Slughorn didn't kidnap us; this is all just a big misunderstanding. James, stay in here with Charlie for the time being," Harry said.

James looked ready to argue but Harry said, "Please, James, just stay in here for now." As James reluctantly nodded his head, Harry and Hermione stepped out of the tent; once outside, they saw that both Shacklebolt and Slughorn had their wands pointed at each other as Flitwick and Hooch stood side-by-side as Hooch held her broomstick in her hand.

"Ah, yes, there you two are; now I want you, Mr. Potter, to grab a hold of my arm and I would like you, Miss Granger, to grab hold of Madam Hooch's arm, and we shall apparate back to Hogwarts at once," Flitwick announced.

As Harry opened his mouth to reply, a second _POP_ was heard; all heads turned in unison towards the source of the noise to see Professor McGonagall striding forward, a look of fury on her face.

"Minevra, what are you doing here," Hooch asked.

"I could be asking Shacklebolt the same thing," she yelled. "On what grounds are you arresting Horace for, Kingsley?"

"On kidnapping charges, Minevra," he replied smoothly.

"Oh I don't think so; you see, Poppy had just awoken from being hit by six stunning spells no less, and she has informed me that both Mr. Potter and Miss Granger accompanied Horace on their own accord! I came to tell Brice off in the staff room when I heard him telling both Filius and Rolanda to go and fetch my students!"

"I'm sorry to intervene, Minevra," Flitwick said, his voice on the brink of rage, "But it is against school policy to take students away from the castle without the consent of the headmaster or headmistress!"

"Well, Filius, that would make matters worse though Horace had my consent in the first place," she replied, her voice shaking.

Harry and Hermione looked at one another; McGonagall was taking a huge risk in saying she gave permission for Slughorn to take them out of the castle; if she was caught lying, she could be imprisoned.

"That's fine and all, Minevra, but by the codes of conduct of the High Council, under no circumstance whatsoever is any student nor staff to leave the castle," Hooch replied.

"Those rules have not been fully established, Rolanda! Until a see a written contract, the old rules of Hogwarts still remain intact," McGonagall said, drawing her wand.

"Minevra, what on earth are you doing," Hooch asked.

"You and Filius, along with a number of staff have made your intentions clear of where your loyalties lie and it is not with Hogwarts!"

Flitwick and Hooch drew there wands as well and pointed them at the Transfiguration professor.

At this moment, Jake Young ran up to the fray, looked upon the scene that was unfolding, and said, "There has been a murder! Mark Atwood has been murdered by none other than Charlie Weasley!"

Shacklebolt, whose wand was still directed at Slughorn, looked over quickly at Jake and asked, "What did you say?"

"I said our reserve director, Mark Atwood, has been murdered by Charlie Weasley."

"Who are you," Shacklebolt asked.

"My name is Jake Young; I have been stationed at the Romanian dragon reserve under the President of the Federal Presidium of the Hogwarts High Council, Jake Dalton, in accordance with a stone that belongs to Hogwarts and Hogwarts alone. Mr. Dalton had reason to believe the stone was here, in Romania," Jake replied.

Before anyone could react, a voice behind Harry and Hermione said, "You're a filthy liar; I didn't kill Mark Atwood, you did."

Turning around, Harry and Hermione saw Charlie walk out of the tent with his wand pointed directly at Jake.

Jake had a look of pure wrath plastered across his face as he regarded Charlie; Charlie, on the other hand, had a face as red as a ripe tomato, as his chest pumped up and down with heavy, laborious breaths.

"Now, let's everyone just calm down, shall we," Flitwick said, noticing that two sides have been formed with wands drawn on each. "All we are here to do is to escort Mr. Potter and Miss Granger back to Hogwarts."

"They can leave under two conditions: one, Horace will be free of all charges brought against him, and two, Mr. Potter and Miss Granger leave with me," McGonagall said.

"I'm afraid I can't let that happen, Minevra," Flitwick said, "Though I have no authority over what happens to Horace, Mr. Dalton asked for me and Rolanda to escort the two students back to the castle."  
"Since when does his authority overcome mine," McGonagall asked.

"Ever since the High Council was signed into law," Hooch replied.

"If anyone is to be charged it should be Jake Young, the true murderer of Mark Atwood," Charlie said, pointing his wand directly at Jake.

"You have no proof, Weasley; I, on the other hand, am under Mr. Dalton's direct orders! You stole something that belongs to him and I need you to give it to me," Jake said, holding out his hand.

"No," Charlie replied simply, "You also have no proof that the stone belongs to Hogwarts."

"What are you going to do, Weasley, attack a Ministry official? Because in case you didn't notice, that is exactly what I am! What can you do, any of you," Jake yelled at Slughorn, Harry, Hermione, and Charlie.

"We can fight," Charlie replied, "And that's exactly what we're going to do. The sides have been drawn and we have chosen to stand opposite one another on the all matters in regards to freedom and justice…we're going to fight."

Charlie looked down at Hermione and gave her a small smile; he bent down and whispered into her ear, "I've chosen my side."

With that, Charlie shot a jet of red light at Young; Young dived out of the way as a multitude of curses was suddenly flung about from all wands.

" _ACCIO BROOM,_ " Charlie yelled; a second later, his broomstick zoomed towards him; he mounted it quickly and took off.

Jake yelled out furiously; turning to his right, he saw that Hooch had dropped her broomstick when she fired a spell off at McGonagall. Jake picked it up, mounted it, and took off after Charlie.

Harry and Hermione watched in horror as Shacklebolt and Slughorn were firing rapid curses and hexes at one another, their wands mere blurs. They also saw McGonagall battling both Flitwick and Hooch at the same time, different jets of light shooting out of their wands in hurried succession.

"Get to safety," McGonagall yelled back over at Harry and Hermione.

They didn't need telling twice as Harry grabbed Hermione's hand and darted, pulling her along in his wake away from the two duels.

"Go after them, Rolanda, and I'll take care of Minevra," Flitwick said.

As Hooch ran off after Harry and Hermione, Minevra asked, "Oh, you'll take care of Filius, don't think you can win so easily!"

As Harry and Hermione ran through the sea of tents that were the living quarters of the dragon reserve workers, a mighty crash was heard that shook the forest floor. Both students looked back and saw a nearby tree had collapsed from the duel between Shacklebolt and Slughorn; fire was beginning to emit out of both of their wands.

Hearing the commotion, James poked his head out of the tent and saw two great battles taking place. He stepped outside and took out his wand only to find his name called out from nearby. Turning around, he saw Remus Lupin looking over at him.

"Remus, what are you doing here," he exclaimed, running over to his friend.

"I came with Kingsley Shacklebolt when I heard Horace Slughorn had taken Harry and Hermione captive; I figured you were with them."

"Remus, Slughorn didn't kidnap anyone; Harry, Hermione, and I came willingly," James replied.

"Are you sure? Kingsley is here to arrest Slughorn and take him to the Ministry," Lupin said back.

"I know that and afterwards they plan on sending Slughorn off to Azkaban! We have to stop him," James started.

"I-I can't do that, James," Remus said quietly.

"What," James asked, staring at his friend dumbfounded, "What are you talking about?"

"The Ministry is going to give me a pardon, James, for being a werewolf. Not only that but they are going to give full pardons to all werewolves! James, think about this: this is an amazing opportunity, one of which has never been seen. Think of all the possibilities this could open for people with my condition," Remus exclaimed.

"Remus, are you sure this isn't some ploy to reel in more werewolves? How do you know the Ministry is going to keep their word on this matter! Remus, we have to fight for what is right! There are going to arrest Slughorn on false charges," James replied.

"I thought you would be happy about this change, James. You've known for a long time how much I despised that I turned into a werewolf every full moon. I hated it so much I didn't even have the heart to tell you, Sirius, or Peter! This is a chance for me to finally accept my condition and the effects it has on my life…I've been given a second chance."

James looked wearily at his friend and shook his head from side to side. "Remus, how many times have we told you that you had nothing to be ashamed about? Why didn't you ever listen to us? If Sirius we here, right now, he would be saying the same thing!"

Remus looked over at James coldly and said, "Oh, that's right…I forgot all about your best friend, Sirius! What was I to you James, a mere tag-along, much like you two thought Peter was? Something more like a sidekick right, or a kickstand, always there to get you out of trouble as I was a prefect!

"You and Sirius always fooled around in school, never taking anything seriously, not even your 'supposed' friendship with me! No, not at all, I was never a best friend to you, was I? It was just you and Sirius and that's it."

"How could say something like that," James asked in horror.

"Besides that fact," Remus said, completing ignoring James question, "It's clear where you stand on these matters. It's a shame we don't see eye-to-eye," he continued, drawing his wand.

"Remus, I don't want to fight you," James replied, "But if you attack me, you leave me no choice," he said, drawing his own wand.

"I wish we agreed on such matters but I guess that only exists in fairytales." With that, Lupin shot a jet of red light over at James.

" _PROTEGO_ ," he shouted, successfully deflecting the curse. He shot a jet of orange light over at Lupin who ducked so that the curse flew over his head.

The two friends then began to fire curse after curse, and hex after hex, their faces masking bitterness.

Some miles away, Charlie flew under a deserted overpass; dimly lit lights partially lit up the darkened tunnel as Jake pursued Charlie.

" _CONFRINGO,_ " Jake shouted; Charlie moved his broomstick upward as a white streak of light flew under him; a second later, part of the road was blasted apart, sending pieces of gravel into the air.

" _PETRIFICUS TOTALUS,_ " Charlie shouted, pointing his wand over his shoulder.

Jake young maneuvered out of the way as he willed the broomstick he was riding upon to go ever faster.

" _INCARCEROUS_ ," Jake yelled again. Thick sets of ropes flew out of his wand.

Charlie, seeing the ropes fly towards him yelled, " _PROTEGO!_ " And the ropes dissipated in a wisp of black smoke.

As the wind flew through Charlie's hair, he smiled to himself as little did Jake know, Charlie did not have the object he was seeking.

Harry pulled Hermione forward through the throngs of reserve workers that were watching the three dueling spectacles yards away from them.

"Harry where are we going," Hermione asked as he shouldered his way in between two rather large men.

"Anywhere where we can get away from Hooch," he said.

"Out of my way, out of my way," the two Gryffindors heard from nearby.

"Come on, faster," Harry urged Hermione, her hand still in his.

Shacklebolt and Slughorn were still dueling in equal ferocity; Slughorn sent a jet of purple light over at Shacklebolt who deflected it so that it flew behind him; seconds later, an explosion was heard from the deflected curse.

Next to them, McGonagall and Flitwick were firing spell after spell at one another, their jets of light colliding in mid-air and ricocheting off each other.

On the other side of the tent, James and Remus were locked in a heated duel, neither willing to give in for what they believed in for what was right in their fight for justice.

As Harry and Hermione continued to push past the gathering crowd of workers, they heard a voice cry out, " _ANAPENO!_ " Suddenly, the mass of reserve workers were split right down the middle as Hooch shot a spell that cleared a path for her towards Harry and Hermione.

"Mr. Potter and Miss Granger, stop this foolishness at once and come back to Hogwarts with me," Hooch said, raising her wand in a threatening manner.

Hermione pointed her wand over shoulder and shouted, _"AVIS!_ " Instantly, a flock of birds flew out of the tip of her wand and directly over at Hooch. The birds pecked at her face and robes while her arms were spinning wildly about, trying to get the birds off of her.

"Nice thinking," Harry commented, giving Hermione a wide smile.

Then, Harry and Hermione heard something they particularly wished to never hear again…at first, it was low rumblewhich then became more pronounced as a steady growlwas heard.

Harry and Hermione slowly turned on the spot, their eyes wide in dreadfulness. The reserve workers too had heard the noises coming from behind the thick trees. Suddenly, with an intense collision, a long line of trees were uprooted from the ground, its long and heavy roots ripped from the earth, as a great black dragon burst from behind them, rearing its head towards the sky and emitting a great ball of fire.

As trees began to topple all around the reserve, the workers drew their wands and charged at the dragon. Chaos ensued as the dragon blew long lines of flame down upon the earth, setting a multitude of tents and people on fire.

Harry dove to the ground, pulling Hermione with him; an instant later, a line of fire flew over the heads. The force of the flames flew into a nearby reserve worker; its impact was so great he disintegrated right before their very eyes.

Hermione cried out in shock as Harry turned his gaze away, repulsed by what he had just witnessed.

Harry instead looked beyond the still struggling Hooch, her robes were now slashed apart, and still saw Shacklebolt and Slugorn shooting off hexes at one another, though Shacklebolt had a deep gash on his cheek; McGonagall and Flitwick were still doing battle, as McGonagall's usual tight bun had become unfretted; he then saw James and Remus dueling one another, both of their faces masking cuts, scrapes, and bruises; all three battling parties seem to heed no attention to the dragon that was roaring and shooting flames above them.

Charlie flew out from under the overpass, skirting over the Romania roads coated in ice; he shot a spell over his shoulder at Jake who deflected it.

Charlie had to think of a plan in which he could get Jake off of his trail so he could go back to the reserve. As thought after thought pounded through his head, a plan started to take shape.

Charlie suddenly shot up directly into the air and then flew back, towards the overpass. Desperate times call for desperate measures, he thought to himself as his broomstick raced backed into the shadows once again, closely followed by Jake Young.

Jake fired a curse over at Charlie who ducked out the way; a small explosion blasted apart cement nearby.

Charlie fired a jet of red light over his shoulder at Jake who once again deflected it. Charlie silently willed his broomstick to fly as fast as it had ever flown before; the cold wind was ripping his sweatshirt and his fiery red hair as Charlie whizzed away at top speed.

He was soon out from under the overpass in which he took a big risk: aiming his wand over his shoulder, he yelled, " _BOMBARDA MAXIMA!_ " The overpass suddenly blasted apart and collapsed in a pile of cement and gravel, a grey cloud of smoke flew up in the night air.

Charlie could see no trace of a broomstick under the massive pile of rubble…the bridge was no more; he flew away back towards the reserve.

"Enough games you two; I want you to both come here or you will face expulsion from Hogwarts," Hooch called out, her face littered with cuts from the birds Hermione had conjured.

Harry and Hermione were hiding behind a tent she was walking past, their hands covering their mouths to keep them from breathing aloud.

Harry peeked around the corner of a tent to see her wand drawn, as she walked steadily forward, looking backwards every other step she took.

He had one chance at this and he wasn't going to mess it up; as he saw Hooch turn her back towards them again, Harry pointed his wand and shouted, " _PETRIFICUS TOTALUS!_ " A streak of white light flew over at their flying instructor and hit her directly in the back. Her arms and legs snapped together and she fell face forward onto the ground, stiff as a board; Harry heard a sickening crack as he had guessed her nose was broken.

Harry looked back over at his father and said to Hermione, "James…come on!" With that, the pair took off to help James.

As the dragon continued to roar mightily overhead, McGonagall fired off a curse that hit Flitwick full in the face; the force of the spell blasted him off of his feet as he was flung backward into a the bark of a nearby tree; she then ran over to help Slughorn.

Just as Harry and Hermione arrived at James' side and Charlie Weasley flew back onto the reserve, a series of _POPS_ were heard as a hoard of Ministry officials suddenly appeared. They quickly assessed the situation as they all shot a shower of curses up at the great dragon who roared under its distress.

Harry ran over to James' aid and yelled, " _STUPEFY!_ " A jet of red light flew out of his wand and hit Lupin square in his back; he crumpled to the ground in a mangled heap.

James was breathing hard as sweat was pouring down his face while a trickle of blood lined his cheek.

Hermione ran over to see both Slughorn and McGonagall blast Shacklebolt backwards. Slughorn suddenly turned towards her, his face red and puffy, no doubt his exhaustion showing from the duel has was just in.

"Here, take these Miss Granger," he said in a hurried manner, pulling out two thin vials with a silver, hair-like wisps floating in each of them. "One vial contains my memories and the second contains Professor Dumbledore's. Find a pensive and look at those memories…they are important and detrimental in defeating You-Know-Who!"

"But where will you go, professor," she asked, trembling.

"I am to be carted off to Azkaban prison," he replied with a sad smile, "A small price to pay for something I believe in…now go before the Ministry officials catch you!"

Hermione hurried off to find a silent James and Harry. "We have to go…now," she told them both to which they looked over at her.

"What about Charlie," James asked, suddenly alert and looking around.

"I can't go with you," a voice said nearby. Charlie was looking at them, his face smeared in dirt and dried blood. "I have to stay back and protect my family."

"You're going back to Britain," Hermione asked.

"Who knows? I'll most likely be placed in Azkaban, actually," he said, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Then how is that helping your family," Hermione asked incredulously.

"Someone has to take the blame for everything, Hermione; but don't worry about me…just get out of here…now," Charlie said.

Hermione motioned for Harry and James to come near her. "Okay, I'm going to apparate us out of here," she told them.

"Hermione, have you ever apparated before," James asked, "And do you even have your liscense?"

"No to both questions but I've practiced it before," she said nervously.

"When," James asked.

"Back in 1976," she replied shortly, "Now grab both of my hands." Harry did as he was told and grabbed one hand while James grabbed the other. "Let's hope the Ministry doesn't track us," she said, and the three disappeared with a small _POP_.

The whole time until she was gone, Charlie was staring directly at Hermione; when she was gone, he surrendered to the Ministry officials.

As red lights lit up the night sky on a stretch of an empty road while an alarm blared loudly about, two fire trucks were headed to a supposed collapsed bridge.

As they drew closer and closer, a hand suddenly struck out from beneath the rubble. The bones of the hand were bent at odd angles: the evidence that its bones were crushed and twisted in gruesome pain. However, the body the hand was attached to was still breathing and still very much alive.


	32. Footsteps

Harry Potter and a Marauder Revival

Author's Note: Hello everyone! Here is the latest installment of "Harry Potter and a Marauder Revival," Chapter 32! Thank you to everyone that has reviewed thus far (although the site of Fanfiction has a bug so I haven't been able to see some of your reviews yet but that's okay!). If you wish, feel free to leave a review for this chapter as well. Chapter 33 will be posted **FRIDAY NIGHT!**

Chapter 32: Footsteps

Their footsteps echoed off of the wooden floors of his grand mansion; he didn't mind, really, for he could not move one muscle in his body. After the explosion that rocked the entire foundation, along with blasting out of his windows as well as his front door, the first thought that ran through his head when he had awoken from his unconsciousness was that he was paralyzed.

He was sure he knew who the footsteps had belonged to for he lived in a very old, once vibrant wizard community. He says his area was "once vibrant" because that is what it really was: full of life, full of color, and oh so full of love!

Yet, the dark days came during the 1970s when this madman, Lord Voldemort, declared an open war against those who did not accept his ways; his community fell into disarray much like the rest of Wizarding Britain.

After he was overpowered, by a baby for that matter, his district once regained its former glory until several months ago when the wizard government in Britain announced his return.

The glory days of his borough are something he has reminiscence about for quite some time due to the fact that that is when he fell in love.

On a chilly fall day, as he had just apparated home from his job at the Ministry of Magic, his eyes fell upon the most beautiful girl he had ever seen! Her lovely brown curls fell softly down her back as her warm blue eyes were like affectionate rays of sunshine.

He could not believe someone as beautiful as this lived so close to him for, in his sheer luck, she had lived right across the street from him; how did he not notice her until now?

Day after day and night after night, he would try to look deep down inside himself to find his Gryffindor courage to go and talk to the girl…how bad could that go? Yet time and time again, he had found his bravery to be waning…was it possible for one's Gryffindor valor to disappear after you had left Hogwarts?

As he debated with himself if he was ever going to gather his courage to go and talk to the girl, the air turned cold for winter had arrived; thick grey clouds had rolled overhead as snowflakes had begun to fall.

As if by chance though, during the peak of winter, he had finally talked to her; well, it was more of like a yelling really as the two of them had literally run into one another; his stocky form knocked her petite figure roughly onto the unpaved and uneven concrete.

After he had finished berating this person who did not have the wherewithal to look where they were going, his gaze was fixed upon the young woman.

He helped her to her feet, sputtering apology after apology to her; he felt as if she would never speak to him again for who could find any civil conversation in someone who spewed such anger after being run into?

However, to his immense surprise, she accepted his apology right there and then! Oh, the beauty of it…how it rested his soul!

Instead of taking her on a date night out on the town, his brother told him it would be more romantic if he cooked her dinner instead (even if it was their first date).

So, heeding his brother's advice, he cooked her dinner and truth be told…she loved it! He was surprised, though his brother was not when he told him the following day. 'If you can go the extra mile with women, they'll love you forever as long as you do right by them,' his brother had told him.

And so, because his heart burst with uncontrolled joy every time he saw her, he decided to do right by her and so it was to be.

They went out on date nights every weekend thereafter, either going to their local cinema, or enjoying a night of innocent dancing, the couple was growing closer and closer together.

After half a year of dating, he asked for her hand in marriage and again to his great surprise, she accepted his offer! The beauty of it truly rested his soul!

They had a splendid wedding, with both of their families in attendance (his brother was his best man), and they prepared to spend the rest of their lives in wonderful bliss.

She had moved into his home across the street and they had then become the ultimate story of love and affection; he adored her with every breath she took and he could feel she had the same feelings for him.

They snuggled up next to each other every night as they rested their eyes (especially during the winter months when the temperature dropped to freezing degrees) and all was well until that one day; that one day changed everything that would affect them the rest of their lives.

As they indulged in another dinner he had prepared for the both of them, she blurted out that she wanted children.

For him, kids were probably the farthest things from his mind at that time for who would want children at such a young age as they were? Surely there was more time for that later in life; for now, all he wanted to do was to love his wife fully and completely with all of his heart. In truth, if they were to have children, he feared he would become jealous of the fact that someone else was receiving the love from his wife.

But after a relentless barrage of fights and arguments, he gave into his wife's request and they decided they were to try for their first kid.

Twelve months later, their first child was born, a daughter they named Leila. The second he laid eyes on her he had gathered that Leila was the most beautiful person he had ever seen! As tears leaked out of his eyes, his heart burst with joy and unconstrained happiness; the beauty of it rested his soul!

As he and his wife watched Leila grow right before their very eyes, fear crept into their hearts for it was during this time that Voldemort had risen. Their worry seemed to increase daily as the Daily Prophet printed more and more articles of dead bodies recovered from smoldering ruins in which the Dark Mark hovered over as if daring anyone to enter to see what horrors awaited.

It was during this time era that he and his wife were struck with grief for Leila had been murdered by a stray killing curse from a skirmish that happened in their wizard village. There had been no time to bury her body though for war was literally on their doorstep.

His wife had become an old shell of her once-beautiful self; it pained him to see her crying every hour of every day of their dead child…it broke his heart over and over again. He, himself, was in pure shock: someone he had loved so dearly with every fiber of his being was instantly ripped away from him.

The days following the war, their grief never seemed to waver but instead, it seemed to increase. The man thought that these days could get no worse but for him…they did.

Coming home from the Ministry of Magic one night, he found his wife was lying dead on the kitchen floor, her blood on the hilt of a knife lying next to her. The pool of her blood was so deep that it came up above the man's shoes.

Dropping his briefcase, the man rushed over to his wife's cold body as his possessions clattered loudly onto the floor but the noise was nothing of that that came out of the man's mouth: his soul screamed as his final love had been ripped away from him, stolen from the deranged ideals from a madman.

Depression is what the man fell into next for what was there left to live for after his daughter and his wife were now gone? He cried for the next several days but after a week, they stopped for how many tears could one create?

For the next decade, the man walked like a ghost of his former self…he felt as if he was already dead although he was still very much living.

His memories haunted him not only at night but during the day as well. One day, he had had enough: he went into his wardrobe one late night and pulled out something he had been careful never to touch again: a pensive.

The man had to forget about his sorrow for really, could he really go on living with this depressed state he now found himself in?

Putting his wand up to his temple, the man pulled thin, wispy strands he extracted from his head and pushed them down into the swirling depths of the ancient pensive.

Shutting the wardrobe closed again, the man fell back into a relaxing sleep, something he had missed out upon for over twelve years.

In the days following his layoff from the Ministry of Magic, the man began to experiment with magic and potions, trying to create different forms of life.

His village came to know him as that 'crazy old fellow' for every night, his house rocked with small explosions.

Every time he stepped outside, he received a bombardment of comments, with voices shouting things like 'You'll blow up our entire area!' and 'You sadistic fool!'

But he ignored these things for they did not have the history he did, did they? This night, however, their comments turned out to be proven truthful for his latest experiment blew his house to smithereens; only an old wardrobe remained standing.

They would surely find my pensive, the man thought to himself as the footsteps came closer and closer to where he was currently lying in his paralyzed state; yes, they would surely take it.

As death came closer and closer to the man's broken body, he had a sobering thought: if he died that night, he would finally come to see his Leila along with his wife again…the beauty of it rested his soul.

His footsteps crunched the broken glass beneath his shoes, crushing the broken pieces into smaller fragments. He eyes traveled around the destroyed white halls of St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries.

"And you say there were three people that attacked this ward," Brice Dalton asked the main healer in charge.

"Yes," she replied, not meeting his eyes directly, "They came into this room here," she said, pointing to an already blasted-open door, "And stole the pensive this man had on his bedside table."

"And no one thought to try and put a stop to them," Brice asked, quirking up one eyebrow.

"Well, at first glance, they looked like they were just a couple of students but their magic they performed seemed as if they had years of training under them," the healer replied.

"They were just a couple of students, students missing from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry," Brice replied, setting his hands on his hips, "Though there are only two students missing from Hogwarts…not three."

"Well if this is any consolation, the two boys looked identical to one another; I could have sworn they were twins, or at least brothers."

As Brice nodded his head, he asked again, "And no one could put a stop to underage children?"

"We tried but they were extremely stealthy; no one understood exactly what was going on until they were nearly out the door," the healer explained, a flush rising onto her cheeks.

"As I understand it, St. Mungo's is supposed to have the best healers on this continent; how healers managed to let three young kids escape is beyond me, I'm afraid," Brice replied, shaking his head in mock embarrassment.

The healer balled her hands into tiny fists as she replied in a clearly-controlled calm demeanor, "And as I understand it, Mr. Dalton, St. Mungo's does not play host to aurors, wizards and witches who deal with such matters as these. And, if I'm also to understand this whole charade, it was you, Mr. Dalton, in which two, perhaps three, students escaped Hogwarts out from under you!"

Brice looked over at the healer with a cold fury in his eyes but he kept silent; if his childhood taught him one thing, it was that you did not have to have the final word…only the final action.

Brice leaned closer to the healer who, surprisingly, stood her ground, as he said, "And people have the audacity to blame the Ministry of Magic of such matters in which our society is about to implode. Perhaps we should look towards Hogwarts in which it seems as if its poor curriculum is not better at equipping its students; especially standards as low as yours."

"How dare you," she beseeched.

Ignoring her, he said, "If you have any further developments, contact Hogwarts castle though if I'm to have half a brain, I doubt you'll find any new break-through; good night." With that, Brice disappeared with a small _POP_.

Back at Hogwarts, Brice sighed loudly as he clambered into his office, his mind racing faster than he could keep up with.

As he sat down in his chair, he instantly stood up, the weights of everything that he had learned about over the past couple of hours began to weigh heavily upon his shoulders.

'Why did Potter and Granger break into St. Mungo's and steal a pensive; what are their intentions? And who was this mystery third person they were with? According to the dimwitted healer he had conversed with, he looked exactly like Potter. There was definitely something odd going on with them,' he thought to himself.

It was as if he was looking at a frame of an intricate puzzle; he held most of the pieces in his hands yet there were a fair few he had not yet collected; it was frustrating to say the least.

'Although, I now have most of Hogwarts under my power; the old fat fool, Horace, is now residing in Azkaban along with the traitor dragon tamer, Charlie Weasley; the last he had heard, his family had completely cut him off for good, not that that mattered too much seeing how poor their family already was.'

But his mind kept shifting over to the real problem at hand: Potter, Granger, and this mystery third-party. Something was definitely amiss: for one, why was it that the Ministry was unable to track them down; surely they should still have the trace upon them seeing as Potter and Granger are still both underage?

The other thing that boggled his mind was how on earth did they escape from the hands of Flitwick and Hooch? He knew that the standards of Hogwarts School were pretty low but he did not know that they were so low in that two students were able to escape from two, fully-fledged professors no less!

And lastly, where on earth were Potter and Granger? Brice has been studying the subject of Harry Potter for a fair few years, wondering how a baby with no pure magical talent was able to destroy the body of the Dark Lord.

Hearing stories about his escapades within and outside of the castle's walls, Potter seemed to rely on mere luck and talent from his more-powerful friends, namely Granger. It's no wonder the two took off together…Potter clearly needed someone he could rely on to get him out of any sticky situations he might find himself in. Clearly, to Brice, Potter sounded nothing more than a talentless troll.

But what was Potter planning, that is if he had any plan at all? The Ministry would print the faces of both Potter and Granger in their daily runs, telling the populace to alert the Ministry if they were to be seen.

Well, if one thing was for sure, Brice had the power of Hogwarts behind him. It has been a long time coming since the Federal Presidium of the Hogwarts High Council has been up and running but up and running it was. Soon, the Dark Lord will strike and the wizard world will bow under his power.

A storm was coming…just like the old days during the first war; except this time, the Dark Lord was better prepared and so was Brice. Ever since he murdered Mark Young, darkness had expounded greatly within the fabrications of his own soul…yes, he was ready to kill again.

Their footsteps seemed like loud the sounds of an orchestra playing in front of the creatures of the dark forest they were currently residing in.

"Hermione, how many times have you've been camping," James asked, watching Hermione light a fire with two sticks from the woods.

"A fair few but I don't know exactly, why," she asked, smiling to herself when a fire had been brought to life.

"I don't know, I was just wondering is all," James replied, wrapping his arms further into his sweater as his legs shook uncontrollably, "But I still think it would've been easier to light a fire with our wands."

"James, how many times have I told you: we could still have the trace us on for using underage magic," Hermione scolded.

"I really don't see how I would," James started, "I'm not even supposed to be in this era in the first place."

As Hermione continued to build a bigger fire, James asked, "Hermione, are we really going to sleep without any enchantments? What happens if pair of Death Eaters stroll right by us?"

"Then we can use our magic," she answered simply, "One of us will have to keep watch."

"But what about the trace," James asked.

"If it comes down to life and death, then we use our magic to keep on living," she replied, giving James an accusatory look.

"It amazes me how you can keep a fire going in this type of weather," James said, brushing snowflakes off of his jacket-covered shoulder.

They both heard a sound to their left; in an instant, they were both on their feet with their wands pointed at the source of the noise.

A few seconds later, Harry's face appeared; looking at the two wands pointed his way, he put up his hands in his own defense and said, "It's just me."

They both lowered their wands as Harry said, "I found an old shack nearby; I think we should set up camp over there for the night instead of here on the outskirts of this forest."

"Well that's a little better," James said, standing to his feet.

"Yeah, well, at least we're not out in the open," Hermione agreed, squashing the burning flames with the stamping of her feet.

Hermione walked over to Harry who wrapped an arm around her shoulder and pulled her tighter to him as James walked beside them.

A barn was situated a couple of paces away from the shack; Christmas lights were still strung up on the barn along with a house that was next to it; these white Christmas lights provided the only source of light on this cold, brittle night.

As the three situated themselves in the shack, Hermione instantly got to work on the fire; to her surprise, James bent down to help.

As the pair worked on the fire, Harry looked down at the pensive the three of them had recently acquired. How odd it was how they knew of this…it almost seemed as if this pensive was left for them; he and Hermione theorized on the possibilities Dumbledore had left it for them.

Instantly, a rumble of heat began to pound against Harry's back; he looked over his shoulder to see both James and Hermione had successfully started the fire.

"Are you ready, Harry," asked the voice of Hermione quietly.

He turned around and nodded his head as the pensive stood in front of him. He looked over at James who was looking back at him intently.

"Which one are you going to watch first," he asked his son.

"Dumbledore's," Harry replied instantly, "I'm hoping there are answers to the questions we have."

"Do you think that Professor Dumbledore truly has answers for us in his memories," Hermione asked.

"I hope so, Hermione, because if he doesn't, I'm not entirely sure as to where to go from here," Harry replied, looking over at her.

"Well, if you're ready, Hermione and I will keep watch for you," James said, nodding towards the two vials in Harry's hand.

He nodded and uncorked the vial containing Dumbledore's memory; he titled the glassed bottle over so that the wispy, silver thread fell into the basin. The pensive's shimmering surface rippled as it added a new memory.

Harry looked once more over at Hermione who nodded and smiled encouragingly. Not wasting another second, Harry put his face into the cool surface of the Pensive, searching for answers to all the questions he had.


	33. Dumbledore's Memories

Harry Potter and a Marauder Revival

Author's Note: Hello all! It is sad to say that this story is winding down and finding its end; I just have one final chapter left! This chapter answer's a lot of questions like: How did Harry and Hermione get sent back in time? Who was the hooded assailant that attacked Harry, Hermione, Ron, Ginny, Malfoy, and Goyle in Hogsmeade? Who attacked Harry, Hermione, and James in the Great Hall and are the two incidents related? Why did Dumbledore's portrait never appear in the Hogwarts headmaster's office after he died? What are the true intentions of the High Council? Has someone been dabbing into the emotions and personal lives of Ron, Ginny, and Charlie Weasley? Much more will be revealed in the latest installment of "Harry Potter and a Marauder Revival!" The final chapter will be posted **WEDNESDAY NIGHT!**

Chapter 33: Dumbledore's Memories

Harry felt as if he was falling and falling fast; he had no idea which direction was up yet he kept repeating over and over in his head like a mantra, _'I need answers…I need answers.'_

His stomach shot upward into his throat from the current freefall he found himself in. Just as he began to wonder if it will ever end, he landed roughly on a stone floor as he collapsed on his rather graceless arrival.

Peeking through his glasses, he saw Dumbledore sitting behind his desk in his office at Hogwarts; Harry could see a burning sun sink slowly behind a faraway horizon through the office's window.

A knock suddenly alerted both Harry and Dumbledore as the latter answered in a tired voice, "Enter."

In strode Snape, his black robes billowing behind him as he wore a sour expression upon his face.

"There has been no sign of the intruder, headmaster," Snape said at once, not bothering to take a seat. "Do you believe in Potter and Granger's story?"

"I do, in fact, Severus," the aged wizard replied, "Their story recounts on much of what I have been researching this past term."

"And what, may I ask, have you been researching," the potions master asked with a slight venom in his voice, "Because it seems to be that you have been leaving out information and neglect to tell me anything which makes this whole circumstance rather…unbelieving."

Dumbledore smiled under his half-moon spectacles as he replied, "Severus, you are as confused as Harry and Miss Granger are at the present moment."

"So you align me with young Gryffindors, Dumbledore?"

"Oh, most definitely not; all I am implying is that there are many parties that are confused about happenings of late. Am I also to understand that you have noticed young Mr. Weasley has not been seen with Harry and Miss Granger as of late?"

"Yes, I have seen that but what does this all mean," Snape asked, looking curiously over at Dumbledore.

"It means what we have been discussing ever since Harry and Miss Granger had regained their consciousness at the beginning of term…someone has traveled back with them; it is clear with tonight's events that more than one person traveled forward in time."

Snape was silent for a long moment as he pondered Dumbledore's answer; sulkily, he asked in a shaking voice masking his rage, "Do you mean to tell me that more than one of Potter's brainless hooligans has entered into our era?"

"Oh, I am certain all of them have returned: James, Sirius, Remus, and Peter. Yet, the only two who remain to take breaths, meaning Remus and Peter, have no knowledge of this."

Harry watched this conversation with wide eyes as he was astonished. The time since James had emerged right before Christmas break, both Dumbledore and Snape knew of his existence yet they chose not to say anything…but why?

Dumbledore looked over at Snape before he said, "I'm positive that James is with Harry and Miss Granger at the present time though this cloaked-attacker both Harry and Miss Granger described…I'm unsure as to who this is."

"But you must have some sort of lead," Snape interjected, looking at Dumbledore with hope in his eyes.

"Oh, yes, I have a guess at hand though I'm not entirely positive I'm correct," the headmaster replied, looking upwards toward his office ceiling as if the answer he was looking for would be provided.

Suddenly, the scene changed right before Harry's eyes; in a shimmering show, the office setting dissolved in a wisp of white smoke before it reappeared with Dumbledore sitting again behind his desk though he looked exhausted.

Harry wondered if anything had changed when he noticed that darkness was hanging outside the office's window.

Another knock was heard upon the door as Dumbledore called out feebly, "Enter."

Snape walked into the headmaster's office though, Harry noticed, he was hobbling as he looked as if he had been on a long adventure before coming to meet Dumbledore.

"Ah, Severus, how are you feeling," the headmaster asked, concern emitting from his electric blue eyes.

"I've been better but Poppy has healed my more minor injuries," the Potions master replied.

"And what of your more extensive ones," Dumbledore questioned.

Snape was silent for a moment before he answered, "The poison is spreading, Dumbledore. I do not know how long I have until it takes over my body."

"And you have been regularly taken the potions I and Horace have brewed for you over the past couple of days," Dumbledore asked.

"Yes, I have," Snape replied curtly, "You know how this is to end, don't you?"

"Death, Severus, is not an ultimate end…come to think of it, it is everyone's next beginning."

Snape held up his right hand; Harry gasped loudly as he saw the Potions master right hand was completely blackened, almost as if his hand had been burnt to a crisp; to Harry, it looked dead.

"That ring made a fool of me," Snape spat out, looking at his hand.

"Lord Voldemort put much value into these objects that we have been searching around for, Severus; anyone would have been fooled to put the ring on…you just happened to be quicker than me."

"And where did you send the ring?"

"I sent it to an old friend of mine, Donald Richardson; he has is currently stationed on a dragon reserve in Romania; he specializes in dark artifacts," Dumbledore answered.

"And why, if he studies dark artifacts, is he working on a dragon reserve," Snape asked.

"He also has a love for dragons," Dumbledore replied simply, "Also, one cannot find much of a living researching dark objects, Severus."

"Do you know what the object is," Snape asked, looking over at Dumbledore with a curious look on his eyes.

"I have my suspicions though I do not know if they are correct," Dumbledore answered mysteriously. "I'm afraid, the key to your question likes with Horace."

"Horace," Snape asked, surprise seeping across his face, "Why him?"

"Horace has quite a history with Tom Riddle; it is my belief that a young Tom Riddle visited Horace sometime before he left with questions about what it took to gain immortality. As we have discussed previously, Voldemort is afraid of death; you know, as well as I, that he could go to extraordinary lengths to make sure he would never perish."

"So what are you suggesting," Snape asked, growing impatient.

"I am merely theorizing that Voldemort has created an object of what is known as a horcrux. A horcrux is an object in which one can put a piece of their soul into through both dark and extensive magic. It is a hostile, complicated piece of a fatal branch of magic created long ago though few wizards ever dare to try such deeds. One splits the soul by committing murder and having no regrets afterwards."

As the headmaster finished his explanation, Snape sat dumbfounded; the Dark Lord was more complicated than he could ever have imagined.

"And what are these objects? I'm assuming they hold some sort of value to him," Snape asked.

"And you would be quite right; Voldemort would not be foolish enough to put a piece of his soul in a piece of scrap metal; it would be something of great value to him. I think, again I'm theorizing on the matter, that Voldemort had a special affinity with Hogwarts, given evidence by what he have gathered so far."

"Why Hogwarts," the Potions master asked.

"This is the first place where Tom Riddle found a home, where he felt at home. It is important not to forget that Tom is product not of love but of greed. His mother fed a love potion to a handsome and rich heir of Muggle heritage; he is incapable of showing love," Dumbledore answered.

"So the Dark Lord felt at home here," Snape asked incredulously.

"That is correct," Dumbledore nodded his head.

"He shares many similarities with Potter," Snape said before he could stop himself.

Dumbledore seemed to think over his words before at long last he nodded his head in agreement, stating, "The two have lives that run parallel with one another."

"Is there any reason as to why you have not told Potter this information," Snape asked after a couple of moments of silence.

"Harry will know before the end; at the present moment, I know that both Harry and Miss Granger have their doubts about me; but it is not the right time to let Harry know all of this."

"And you think it would be more opportune to unleash all of this information on him at once?"

"I think it is time that I tell you as to why I sent both Harry and Miss Granger back in time," Dumbledore said.

At his words, Harry suddenly felt-lightheaded; this was it…this was his answer…Dumbledore had sent both he and Hermione back into the past; Harry was stunned beyond belief.

"After the death of Harry's godfather, Sirius Black, he has felt rather hopeless of what was to come in this war with Voldemort. You see, Harry never had much of a strong family connection though he longed for one. During his third year, when he found out that Sirius was his godfather and in fact innocent, Harry loved him.

"However, their connection was to be short-lived after the events that happened down in the Department of Mysteries that occurred at the end of last term. Harry led his friends and certain Order members down to be attacked; he feels responsible for his godfather's death, in other words. Because of this, Harry has been blinded; he cannot fight in a war against Voldemort blaming himself for deaths of people he's loved; he would be obliterated."

Snape sat their aghast. Everything Dumbledore was telling him now came as waves of shock that coursed throughout his body.

"I was hoping, or perhaps it was wishful thinking of an old man, that Harry would be re-energized in his fight against Voldemort by visiting his parents."

"And what of Miss Granger; was it your intention to hurl her back in time as well," Snape asked.

"Yes, it was; up until that point in time, Miss Granger would have kept her senses and reminded Harry that they shouldn't meddle with time. She would keep him grounded from changing actions that would alter our present indefinitely."

"And did it ever cross your mind that maybe it would've been better to change time," the Potions master asked.

"Yes, it crossed my mind a lot, but in the end, that change could be too great to overcome," Dumbledore said in finality.

"If you did send them back in time, why is it that Potter lost all of his memories upon his return; why didn't Miss Granger lose hers?"

"It was through a process known as the Time Vortex Resurgence. The Time Vortex Resurgence is a procedure in which two worlds are created, co-existing as one. What happened is that when Harry and Hermione came back to our current time, they unknowingly created another world in which everyone, including you and me, were duplicated.

"Time has a thought process, Severus, it is very important to understand that. Harry lost his memories because he was willing to change the past in which the consequences would be been most dire indeed. Miss Granger, time understood, was able to comprehend what that would have done and therefore, spared her memories while it took Harry's."

"How is it that James came into our present if he exists in another world," Snape asked, his mind trying to wrap itself around this complicated new subject matter.

"James came into being here because he is already dead in this time, 1996," Dumbledore answered patiently.

A realization dawned upon the Potions mater's face. "So that means…Potter and Granger…their hooded attacker…was…,"

"Sirius Black," Dumbledore stated.

Snape's beady black eyes grew wide at the headmaster's answer as he asked, "But…why would he attack them?"

"That is something Harry and Hermione will have to ask him."

"Are you implying they are going to meet some time in the future?"

"No, I am saying that sooner rather than later, their meeting will be inevitable because both worlds cannot coexist with one another. One world will have to dominate the other."

"So all of this," Snape said, gesturing around the office, "Could all be a bunch of folly?"

"That is entirely up to Harry and Hermione alone. We have to put our trust in that they will make the correct decision when the time comes."

"And when will that be?"

"When the Federal Presidium of the Hogwarts High Council is initiated over Hogwarts," Dumbledore said.

"What are you talking about, Albus, why would they ever be instated over Hogwarts with you as the headmaster?"

At this, Dumbledore frowned, his age showing across his face. "You know the answer, Severus; you have known it ever since touching the ring that turned your hand into its blackened state."

"I have to die," he whispered.

Dumbledore nodded his head solemnly, "Yes, your death is imminent."

Silence ensued between the two of them as Snape stared off in the darkness huddling outside of the office window as Dumbledore was looking over at Snape, concern in his eyes.

After what seemed like hours worth of silence, Snape asked, "And where will you go?"

"I'm off to find these horcruxes. Harry and Hermione will be driven out of the castle by the High Council yet they will have to return if they wish to end this once and for all."

"How will all of this end, Albus, where does this madness end?"

"In time, Harry and Hermione are going to have to make a choice, Severus, though that choice will not be easy, especially on Harry. He will have to make sacrifices and that will truly test his character."

"And why are you not taking Harry on this horcrux hunt with you, Albus?"

"Because Harry has his own mission to accomplish; his greatest flaw is that he feels he must do everything alone. But fighting in a war against Voldemort by yourself is an act of foolishness. There are others here to help Harry and I am helping him destroy these horcruxes once and for all."

Snape didn't nod his head nor did he acknowledge what the Hogwarts headmaster had told him though he understood what was to be done; he was going to make the ultimate sacrifice.

"How will it happen…how will I die?"

"Polyjuice potion."

Suddenly, the scene shifted again and Harry found himself back on top of the Astronomy Tower, in the midst of a battle between the Hogwarts staff and Death Eaters.

Harry was standing next to Snape, being impersonated by Dumbledore with his wand pointed. Harry looked over his shoulder and saw two broomsticks flying in the air nearby; he watched as a jet of green light flew towards the body of Dumbledore being impersonated by Snape; the jet of light hit him in the chest as he fell backwards off of the tower.

What Harry didn't notice before was that the Snape-impersonated-Dumbledore whipped his arm over at Harry not even a second after Snape had been killed: this was when Harry's memories resurfaced.

Harry felt a tug behind his navel as he resurfaced out of the pensive; he looked around with shock written across his face as he noted James and Hermione looking over at him with anxious expressions.

"Harry…Harry what happened," Hermione asked softly, "What did you see?"

"Everything," he whispered back. "You both have to take a look."

As Harry watched both James and Hermione press their faces into the cool, smooth surface of Dumbledore's memories, Harry sat back against one of the inner walls of the shack and tried to wrap his head around everything he had just seen.

While the headmaster's memories definitely answered a lot of questions, there were other questions that now remained. He decided it was best to discuss this with James and Hermione.

Not long after, the two resurfaced from the pensive: James had an extremely pale complexion about him while Hermione's eyes were screwed up in immense concentration.

The three didn't say one word to each other for a long moment before James broke the silence and said, "That was…something I didn't expect. So Snape, Snape is dead?"

Harry nodded his head as he answered, "It would appear to be so."

"But wouldn't Madam Pomfrey know that Dumbledore did not die once his body turned back in Snape? Don't you remember that they brought his body up to the hospital ward afterwards?"

Hermione interjected as she said, "Yes but you can make the effects of the Polyjuice Potion last a long time determining on the number of hairs you put into the potion."

"But the body has to change back some time, Hermione; what do you suppose happened then? I mean, the professors couldn't be in on this plan, could they," James asked.

"No, I don't think the professors were; I assume the body was moved but I don't know where. The professors were so wrapped up in discussing the High Council afterwards that I don't think they ever planned a memoriam for Professor Dumbledore," Hermione replied.

"What do you think about this Time Vortex Resurgence," Harry asked her.

"I read about it somewhere in the library when I had a day off," Hermione started (as James looked at Harry with bulging eyes), "But the whole idea is really complicated. But it does make sense what Professor Dumbledore said: there are now two worlds instead of one in which every one of us has a duplicate."

"I think you mean to say that everyone has a duplicate only if they are living in this current time era," James said sourly.

"Well, yes, I thought you could draw the implication from that," Hermione said in a quiet voice.

"But if there are two worlds, why hasn't there been any interaction," Harry asked, ignoring James' sudden mood change.

"There has, Harry, as James is here with us right now."

"But, I mean no offence, but James isn't supposed to be living; how is he here exactly?"

"It all has to do with the Time Vortex Resurgence; when we went back to 1976, we created this duplicate world with those people we had the strongest connection with."

"But by that reasoning, shouldn't my mum have come back as well," Harry asked.

At this, James' eyes lit up as he asked, "Lily is here?"

Looking over at Hermione, she nodded her said and said slowly, "I'm positive she's somewhere here but that doesn't mean we go looking for her."

"And why not," James countered.

"Because look at what Sirius has tried to do to us! He attacked Harry and me twice, James! Who knows what Remus, Lily, and Peter are like in this new world," Hermione replied.

"Dumbledore said that Sirius will find us," Harry said slowly, "When do you think that'll be?"

At his question, both Harry and James saw Hermione squirm uncomfortably. This did not go unnoticed by Harry as he then asked, "Hermione, what is it that you're not telling us?"

She took a deep breath and said, "In the end, Harry, you're going to have to choose which world to accept: our past world or this new, duplicate world because they cannot exist with each other."

As she was saying these words, her eyes popped open as she said, "Of course! Now it all makes sense…the answer was in the end."

James looked over at Harry in a worried manner before looking back at Hermione and asking, "Um, Hermione, what are you talking about?"

"Now I understand it! This duplicated world created by the Time Vortex Resurgence isn't meant to coexist along with the natural world, or in other words, our world in 1996. Because these two worlds have been mixing together, people have been acting out of character! Sirius Black attacking us…he would never do that…Ron, Ginny, and Charlie seemed to have infatuations with us, Harry, especially Ron and Ginny but in our own world…they wouldn't do that either!"

Harry looked over at Hermione, assessing what she was trying to say. "So do you mean to tell me that the two worlds are starting to integrate?"

"Yes, Harry, which is why some people are acting not as they should be or not as we know them to," Hermione answered.

"But where does this all end, Hermione? Dumbledore never told us," James exclaimed.

At this, Hermione fixed her eyes on the second vial: the vial containing Slughorn's memoires.

"The answer is in there…I can feel it," she said, pointing to the unopened vial.

Harry, with shaking hands, opened the glassed tube and poured its contents into the pensive.

Looking around at both James and Hermione he said, "Let's all go together this time."

Seeing both of their nods, he pressed his face under the smooth surface of the pensive. Harry arrived in a vintage-styled office of Professor Slughorn surrounded by a group of well-groomed and well-mannered Hogwarts students; a moment later, both Hermione and James landed next to him.

About eight boys sat in a circle along with Slughorn as a fire roared behind them; Harry noted that snow was falling outside a nearby window.

Harry looked at each student in turn, assessing the looks on their faces; almost instantly, he spotted Voldemort…well, Tom Riddle.

Tom Riddle had a pale skin complexion about him; he had wavy dark brown hair that was sifted off towards one side; his posture was straight as his eyes (though not yet red) still gleamed maliciously.

"T-That's him, isn't it, Harry, a young Voldemort," Hermione whispered to which Harry nodded his head in agreement.

"My goodness, you boys do flatter me," Slughorn said, giving each student a sly smile, "These treats are just exceptional, especially yours Tom!"

"It was my pleasure, sir," he replied in a deep voice, "You are the best professor at Hogwarts."

"Oh, stop it, there are some great witches and wizards that teach here," the Potions master replied though he inclined his head slightly towards the young Heir of Slytherin.

Suddenly, a clock chimed about, startling nearly everyone in the room, everyone except Tom Riddle.

"My goodness, is it that time already," Slughorn exclaimed, looking slightly put-out, "All of you off to bed, it would be foolish to get caught after-hours so close to the Christmas holiday!"

In a scurry, the students filed out of the room with only Tom Riddle lingering nearby; he was looking down at the fire in the grate with his hands clasped behind his back.

"Why is it, m'boy," Slughorn asked, noticing Tom had not yet left the room.

"It's just that, Christmas has always been somewhat of a struggle for me," he replied, not turning to face Slughorn, "With my past and all."

The Potions master walked over to him and said, "There are times when everyone goes through certain trials or tribulations, and sometimes, those trials and tribulations are recurring. The best judge of one's character is how that person deals with those times."

Tom nodded his head solemnly; Harry couldn't tell whether he was acting or not because if he was, it deserved many accolades.

"I never told anyone this, professor, but my mother died right after Christmas; in fact, she died just minutes after I was born." Harry could see the fire dancing in Tom's black eyes.

"Yes, things happen in our lives that are completely out of our control as we have no say in the matter one way or another. Sometimes we can't truly bring ourselves to live up to our own standards as a measure of acute failure; we always strive to be the best we can be."

"I understand, sir," Tom replied, a small frown upon his face, "It's just that, I always thought that if someone was magical, for lack of a better term, I thought they couldn't die. I remember telling Professor Dumbledore that I had originally thought my mum wasn't magical because she died…how wrong I was."

"Well, there are certain ways in which one can use magic to assure they could prolong their lives," Slughorn said, seeming to choose his words carefully.

Tom looked from the fire to Slughorn and said with a faint trace of mock humor, "I don't think the Philosopher's Stone has much weight…I mean, it's all just a myth, isn't it?"

"A myth, yes, but a strong one at that; of course, one would need much quantifiable brain power to even dream of concocting something of that nature! No, I was thinking more along the lines of something called a horcrux."

"A horcrux? I've never heard of such a thing," Tom remarked, his face masking a certain sense of excitement.

"I doubt you will while inside these castle walls; the subject is banned from the curriculum."

"But why, sir, I mean, after all, Hogwarts is a place about learning and controlling our magic. Would it not be prudent to learn much about the magical world as possible?"

"I whole-heartedly agree with you m'boy, but the subject matter of a horcrux is dark magic, very dark indeed."

Tom looked down-cast at Slughorn's last comment; he turned back to the fire and said in a forlorn voice, "Yes, well, I guess I will always wonder what else could have been if my mother just stayed alive a little longer…I've never seen her face."

"Tom, you have been robbed of a great treasure in life, one that many people take for granted; I didn't know your mother but I highly doubt that she could have gone on living."

"But what about the horcrux," Tom asked.

"I doubt she had any horcruxes, m'boy," the Potions master replied.

"But why? Are they difficult to make?"

Slughorn nodded his head and explained, "Yes, they are quite difficult to make. To make a horcrux requires one to violate our own human nature: meaning murder. You see, murder splits the soul, Tom, and through very ancient and dark spells, a horcrux would be an object to conceal the split soul."

Tom looked flabbergasted for a moment, so much so that he stared at Slughorn with his mouth open and his eyes wide, at a loss for words.

"I had no idea such things existed," he said after a few moments pause.

"Few people do, Tom, few people do," Slughorn replied. As Tom kept staring at him, Slughorn nodded his head and said, "Well, now it is late, you should go off to bed; it wouldn't bode well for the Head Boy to be caught wandering around the Hogwarts corridors at this late hour, now would it?"

"No, sir," Tom replied, inclining his head lightly and smiling politely over at Slughorn, "Good night, professor."

Suddenly, the scene before them shifted and materialized into Dumbledore's office with both Professors Dumbledore and Slughorn sitting across from each other with only the headmaster's desk in between them; apparently, this memory seems to have been altered as Dumbledore and Slughorn seemed to have been talking for quite some time.

"You must tell Harry this, Horace," Dumbledore was heard saying.

"And what about you, headmaster? You're talking as if you are planning on an early retirement," Slughorn replied to which Dumbledore chuckled.

"No, not an early retirement, nothing like that at all, Horace."

"And what must I tell Harry?"

"I fear there will come a time in the near future when the Federal Presidium of the Hogwarts High Council will be instated over this school. The writing, as many say, is on the wall as the High Council have been quite vocal about enacting as a ruling body over Hogwarts ever since Harry started here. What he must know is this: the High Council is under the rule of Voldemort. They have been infiltrated, Horace, and I have given you my reasons as to why I believe this is so."

"So the true intention of the High Council is to take over Hogwarts for You-Know-Who?"

Dumbledore sighed heavily and said, "I fear that is only one part of what the High Council hopes to accomplish…when the High Council does take over Hogwarts, if Harry is in its vicinity, they will call upon Voldemort and his Death Eaters to kill him once and for all."

Slughorn gasped loudly as both James and Hermione turned to look at Harry in horror. Harry, himself, really couldn't believe what Dumbledore had just said though something inside of him told him to expect something like this.

"Are you saying that there is no hope for him to survive," the Potions master asked.

"Oh, there is, quite a bit of hope in fact; you see, I am going to take a leave of absence to go and finally try to finish Voldemort, though seeing the end of Voldemort's reign is quite a complicated matter, as I'm sure you know. My mission is to help Harry for when the time comes, Voldemort will fall at his hand. But in order to ensure this, I need to leave for a period of time."

"How long will you be gone," Slughorn asked.

"I have a few estimates though I am unsure as to how accurate those estimates really are," he replied.

Slughorn nodded and said, "And of the matter we spoke of before, the Time Vortex Resurgence, when does that end? We all know these two worlds are unable to coexist together, Albus."

"That is something Harry and possibly Miss Granger has to end by themselves; they will have to make a choice and that choice will affect all of our lives one way or another. They can only do this at the heart of the problem: the High Council."

"Because the High Council was the one that invented it," Slughorn said, nodding his head.

Hermione gasped audibly at this new information; Harry looked over at her to see her hands covering her mouth.

"Yes, the High Council planned to make use of the Time Vortex Resurgence by creating a parallel world in the hopes of taking full control over the Ministry of Magic right before Voldemort's first reign of terror back in the 1970s," Dumbledore said. "Yes, Harry must end this once and for all."

"But, based on Harry and Miss Granger's choice, your leave of absence could be in vain," remarked Slughorn.

"Yes, it might, though I believe in the both of them."

With that, Harry, James, and Hermione were hurled out of the pensive with looks of shock on each of their faces.

"Just when I thought it could not get any more complicated, it does," James said.

"What are we going to do, Harry," Hermione asked.

He looked over at Hermione and then at James and then back at Hermione as he said, "There's only one thing we can do…we are going back to Hogwarts."


	34. Cessation

Harry Potter and a Marauder Revival

 **Author's Note** : Hello everyone! Well…we've finally come to the end of this story that I started back in October of 2015. Definitely a lot of mixed feelings have started to come into play but I just wanted to say one more time, a definite "thank you" to everyone that has read and/or reviewed on this story…it truly means a lot! I know some people have given up on this story halfway through or others that have been disappointing in the direction the story has gone from its inception; to those people, I say, write a Harry/Hermione story of your own then! I'm always looking for stories pairing the two of them together. Bash my story all you want but remember it was your own time spent reading it and not mine! If you felt like you wasted your time reading this, that's not my problem; go write your own story.  
Anyway, with that being said, there will be no sequel to this story; this is it! I would also like to give five shout-outs to people that have read and reviewed my story for some time now: **happylady, Saki-Hime, BeyondtheSea16, starboy454, and Selkura** ; I don't know if you guys are still reading but if you are, you five have been with me for a long while now so thank you very much! And I now present to you the final installment of "Harry Potter and a Marauder Revival!"

Chapter 34: Cessation

"What was the point of Dumbledore keeping all of this from us," James asked, looking at Harry and Hermione, his face twisted in a mask of deep confusion. "I mean, would it really have been that bad for him to tell us at least half of this information we have just witnessed through his memories?"

"I don't know James but it's clear that returning to Hogwarts now is imminent," Harry responded, his mind still trying to wrap everything together with a nice bow; unfortunately for Harry, everything still felt scattered around him in thousands of tiny pieces.

"Well, if you look at it on the bright side, he is still alive; we can still ask him about all of this in the end," Hermione suggested.

"Perhaps," Harry replied, "Although, I have a feeling how all of 'this' ends, it won't be easy by any means."

As silence ensued between the three Gryffindors, a light snow had begun to fall around the shack they were still presiding in. The air was cold and frigid as the temperature kept descending into lower and lower levels of coldness.

"So this is it then, isn't it," James asked at random, "Since Harry just said that we have to return to Hogwarts."

"It's the only way to end all of this," Harry said, looking over at his father, "It's the only way to end this whole charade."

"I trust in you, Harry, I want you to know that," James said quietly to his son, "I always did. I know this sounds odd coming from your sixteen-year-old father but I love you; you are everything that I had ever hoped for in a son."

James' eyes began to glisten behind the lenses of his glasses as unshed tears threatened to cascade down his rosy cheeks. He stood to his feet as Harry followed suit; the two stood there for a quick moment, as hazel eyes met green eyes.

James put out his hand for Harry to shake; Harry looked at lit, smiled slightly, and then wrapped his arms around his young father. The two embraced, each wearing ridiculous smiles; Hermione wiped away a rogue tear; a tear shed from happiness that Harry had finally felt love from at least one of his parents in a physical form.

As they broke apart, James looked over at Hermione and smiled; he nodded for her to join him as she stood to her feet; James hugged her tightly when she did so. No words were spoken between the two of them yet all meaning was conveyed through their actions.

Hermione sniffled as she felt James' arms slacken from around her but not a second later, Harry pulled her to his side.

"Well then, I think we should get to Hogwarts then," James suggested.

"One moment," Harry replied as he bent down on the ground. He carefully placed both Dumbledore and Slughorn's memories back in their respective flasks as he pointed his wand at the pensive and said, " _REDUCIO._ " The pensive shrank down into a miniature form as he stuffed all three in an inside pocket of his jacket.

"Wait, Harry, you don't think the Ministry will follow us since we are still underage and we have the trace on us," Hermione asked in trepidation.

Harry shrugged as he replied, "Well, technically, we are going back to where we're supposed to be so I don't see any problem in apparating; it'll be fine because I'm sure the High Council wants us at Hogwarts anyway."

Hermione nodded her head though she still looked skeptical; the three grabbed each other's hands as Hermione apparated them out of the shack.

Miles away, the cold waters of the ocean slammed against a towering structure that jutted straight into the sky. The salt-water mist rose up in waves, circling this obtusely-shaped construction: Azkaban Prison.

Albus Dumbledore apparated on a platform just outside the entrance into the prison, flanked by three dementors, the guards of the penitentiary; Dumbledore, as powerful as he was, walked right up to the dementors, no trace of fright anywhere upon his aged face.

He turned over his wand to one of the three dementors; its slimy and scaled, gray hand took hold of his wand, examining it in its own mind. After a while, the dementor handed the wand back to Dumbledore and allowed him passage.

The famed wizard strode into the darkness of the passageway and into the depths of the prison.

Hollow cries were heard from fellow prisoners as the darkness outside the jail seemed to press itself against its outer walls, confining any inmate into an eternal depravity.

Walking along the cold, wet stone floor, Dumbledore ventured down a long flight of stairs. A creaking was heard as a powerful wave crashed against the outer stone walls as a high-pitched scream was heard overhead.

Holding his wand in his hand, the wizard gave his wrist a little flick and his wand emitted a strong, white glow, giving him a source of light.

As he continued down the flight of stairs, Dumbledore noticed the staircase was positioned against the walls of the prison as it circled downwards; in the middle was nothingness; it was simply a vast, empty space of blackness.

Entering upon a landing, Dumbledore extinguished his wand silently as he looked past the bars of each prison cell, looking for two people who knew to be wrongly imprisoned.

Finally, he found the two people he was looking for in two separate cells next to each other: Horace Slughorn and Charlie Weasley.

"Horace, Horace, it's me," Dumbledore said quietly.

The Potions master turned his hollow face over to Dumbledore as shock emitted across his deflated face as he said, "Albus? What on earth are you doing here?"

"Rescuing you of course," Dumbledore replied with a hint of humor in his voice.

"How did you know I was here?"

"My old friend, the Daily Prophet has been abuzz ever since the events of what happened in Romania; I believe they are calling it the 'Romanian Raid.' Quite a foolish little name if you ask me but who am I to judge based on headlines," Dumbledore chuckled, "Stand back."

Dumbledore pointed his wand at the lock on Slughorn's prison cell; a line of green stars shot out at the padlock as it burst open, setting Slughorn free.

Dumbledore took a quick look at his old friend and commented, "Horace, I am afraid Azkaban was no friend to you."

Slughorn looked down and saw that his usually over-large stomach was non-existent. "What can I say, Albus?"

"Nothing, I'm afraid," Dumbledore replied, walking over to Charlie's cell. "Mr. Weasley, are you alright," he asked calmly.

Charlie turned to face Dumbledore as he cried out, "Professor!"

Dumbledore took note of the dirt and grime Charlie had plastered across his facial features; he also noticed how skinny the second-oldest Weasley looked.

"Stand back, Mr. Weasley, I am going to unlock your cell," Dumbledore said. As Charlie backed away, Dumbledore pointed his wand as another line of green sparks broke open the padlock that was barring Charlie inside his cell.

"Hold tight you two," Dumbledore warned as Charlie stepped outside and into freedom, "I am going to apparate us out of here and back to Hogwarts. Harry is there and I feel I need to help him."

"Merlin's beard, Albus, has Harry figured out everything," Slughorn asked, giving the headmaster a shocked look.

"It appears so, Horace, for else, what other need would he have to return to Hogwarts?"

"How is it you know that Harry has returned," Slughorn asked.

"I pulled a few strings at the Ministry; I had an inside informant take the tracker off of Harry and Miss Granger as the trace was redirected to me," Dumbledore answered.

"I thought it was impossible to break the trace," Charlie asked.

"And you are right, Mr. Weasley, for it hasn't been broken, just transferred," the headmaster explained.

"And how was it you were able to do this," Slughorn asked again.

"Because, Horace, after being offered the position of the Minister of Magic on three separate occasions, I see use to, forgive me, use undue influence on matters that are to affect the entire Wizarding world. Now grab hold of my arm tightly."

As the both did so, Charlie turned and asked, "Professor, how is Hermione doing? I haven't seen her in a long while?"

Slughorn gave Dumbledore a strange look as the latter responded, "The time is getting near." And with that, the three apparated from Azkaban Prison, leaving behind the place of madness.

When Harry, Hermione, and James found themselves in front of the gates of Hogwarts, they were greeted by two Ministry officials.

"Ah, Mr. Potter, Miss Granger, and the missing mystery student, how nice of you all to finally join us," one of the men said, waving his wand at the gates in a form of salute. A black mist floated away from the iron and into the cold night as the gates opened for the trio.

"Mr. Dalton has been anxiously awaiting your arrival," the man continued, as he and his fellow comrade escorted Harry, Hermione, and James into the castle.

"I'm sure he has," James muttered.

"What's that boy?"

"What? Oh, um, nothing," James answered as Hermione gave him a sly smile and an arched eyebrow to which he silently chuckled.

Inside Hogwarts they walked as an eerie silence descended around the party of five; their shoes clacked loudly against the stone floor as they made their way down a long corridor, up two flights of stairs, and down another long corridor.

They knocked loudly upon a door in which a young man opened it. He looked down at the three Gryffindors as the two Ministry officials clasped their right hands over their hearts in salute.

"Mr. Potter, Miss Granger, and Mr. Potter, finally we meet; please come inside, come inside," the man issued, "And take a seat!"

The three did as they were told yet to Harry, everything about this man felt wrong. To Harry, it seemed as if he, James, and Hermione had walked into a meeting to discuss their own death certificates.

The man took a seat opposite of them behind his own desk; he clasped his hands together pleasantly, smiled, and said, "My name is Brice Dalton and I am the head of the Federal Presidium of the Hogwarts High Council. I welcome the three of you back after a quite extended and unexpected leave of absence!"

Harry, James, and Hermione looked over at Brice with a silent and cold fury in their eyes. Harry noticed that Brice also had a certain degree of frostiness in his bright blue eyes as well.

"I am afraid to inform you that while I would rather have you all in the comfort of your beds in Gryffindor Tower, there are business matters that must first be discussed before I dismiss you."

"And what matters would that be," Harry asked.

Brice smiled cruelly at him as he responded, "The case of the Resurrection Stone, Mr. Potter. I know it is in your possession and I would like for you to hand it over to me or else I will have to take it by force."

"What do you need to do with it," Harry asked again.

"The matters I have with that stone are personal matters in which you should not be bothered by," he replied in a quiet voice.

"If you are threatening to take the stone by force, Mr. Dalton, I'm afraid why you need the stone is something I am to be bothered by," Harry replied.

Dalton stared at Harry for a long moment before he stood to his feet and said, "Follow me."

Dalton marched out of his office with the trio following behind him wearily. Harry considered disarming Dalton but that was before the two ministry officials followed close behind them with their wands drawn.

The party of six walked down to the second-floor girl's bathroom. As they stood in front of the circular display of sinks, Dalton turned to Harry and said, "Open it."

It was a command, not a request, as Harry found no other choice but to comply with his demand. Harry opened his mouth and spoke parstletongue. As soon as the snake hisses started issuing from Harry's throat, the Chamber of Secrets was being opened again.

They all stood and watched the opening as all were silent as this was progressing. When the entrance had revealed itself in its fullest form, Dalton turned again to the trio and said, "In you go."

Outside the gates of Hogwarts, Dumbledore suddenly appeared with Slughorn and Charlie right beside him.

"It seems as if Harry, Miss Granger, and James have already come back here," Dumbledore said, noticing the gates of the school.

"Albus, what exactly are you planning," Slughorn asked, his eyes hinting impatience.

"Horace, my dear friend, I am not planning anything; as I've told you before already, everything will depend on the choices of Harry and Miss Granger; the entire situation is completely out of my hands."

"Are you going to try to influence the situation one way or another," Slughorn asked back.

"No, I am not; Harry and Miss Granger will decide what to do," the headmaster replied as the three of them stepped through the gates, "And we can only hope they make the right decision."

Back down in the depths of the chamber, the party of six made their way into the main hall of the ancient cavity; Dalton's eyes traveled up the length of the stone statue of Salazar Slytherin in awe.

On they walked, passing the stone busts of the heads of snakes, all the way up to the edge of the platform as close to the statue as they could get; Harry looked around and noticed the quiet waters surrounding the platform.

"Why did you bring us down here," James asked, looking around and noticing a dark patch mark of blood; he thought about the last time he was down here and how bad Malfoy was bleeding.

Dalton turned to face them and replied, "Because, Mr. Potter, this is where everything ends and new beginnings start to take place. You see, I am going to murder the three of you tonight, very soon in fact, and I will leave your mangled bodies for my young snakes to feed off of."

Hermione gasped audibly as she cringed into Harry's side; he wrapped an arm protectively around her as James stared at him with hatred.

"Why do you gain by killing us," James asked with venom.

"Well, first, since young Harry over here refuses to give me the Resurrection Stone, I can get my hands on that. Second, I can finally make good use of the Time Vortex Resurgence so that the Dark Lord can take full control of the wizarding world once and for all. It seems appropriate that I do this down in the depths of Slytherin's hidden chamber."

"And how will you get him to do that," Harry asked angrily.

Dalton looked over at Harry as if he lost his mind. "You foolish boy, do you not understand the full implications of the Resurrection Stone?"

Harry looked over at James and Hermione only to see masks of confusion on their faces as well.

Dalton sneered as he said, "Well, let me enlighten you on that matter. The Resurrection Stone not only brings back the dead; when used properly, it can also send one back in time. This powerful artifact was crafted by Death himself, some ages ago. It was discovered, in this past century, that the power to send one back in time rests within the stone itself.

"I think you know that the High Council was the one who created the Time Vortex Resurgence and we infused our creation into the stone, before it was taken away from us."

"Who took it from you," Harry asked.

"The Dark Lord, he's the one that took it. You see, the High Council was set up long ago; it was set up five years after Hogwarts had officially opened its doors, actually. The Ministry wished to enact the High Council over Hogwarts but it never came to be as the current headmaster or headmistress strictly was against the ruling of having a higher-powered body presiding over the school.

"When the Dark Lord was at school, he found out about the High Council. After his graduation, he disappeared…some say he left for the forests of Albania…some say he went elsewhere…however, the Dark Lord returned. At that time, the High Council turned in favor of his new government he proposed…a government that would not fear Muggles…a government that would not fear the ideals of blood purity…a government that would not fear to rule by force. It was this time that he entrusted upon us a very ancient ring or as it is known now: the Resurrection Stone.

"The High Council then created the Time Vortex Resurgence as we infused its power into the ring itself. The Dark Lord came by and collected the artifact and hid it; he told the head of the High Council at that time, Mark Young; his son, Jake, was stationed at the Romania Reserve after I found out Dumbledore had sent the ring there."

"If Voldemort told you to retrieve the ring after his downfall, why hadn't you when he disappeared in 1981," Harry asked.

"You dare speak the Dark Lord's name with your unworthy tongue, you filthy half-blood," Dalton asked as his eyes pierced like a dagger through Harry. "The High Council was disbanded at that time as the Dark Lord's followers dispersed and conspired against one another in which, at that time, it wasn't safe to retrieve the ring."

"So you plan to use the Resurrection Stone to go back in time," Hermione asked.

"Precisely, Miss Granger; I will go back to the 1970s; in doing so, another world will be created in which the Dark Lord will fuse both worlds together and he will take control over."

"You can't have both worlds co-existing as one," Hermione said, "The bounds of time and logic will be broken."

"If you had any notion to listen, Miss Granger, I said nothing of two worlds co-existing; I said the Dark Lord will combine the two worlds."

"And what will happen to the world that has already been created when we were sent back in time," Harry asked.

"It will be destroyed," Dalton replied simply. "Don't you see: Dumbledore used the Resurrection Stone against you Mr. Potter and Miss Granger; he sent you back in time."

"We already know that," Harry replied angrily, "But we don't agree with what you plan to do."

"Oh, is that right; I'd like to see how three underage wizards are going to stop me," Dalton taunted.

"Even if your plan does work," Hermione inserted, "How can you risk fusing the two worlds together? In both worlds, everyone has an identical to his or herself yet with two distinct personalities; mixing the two personalities together is something that is impossible to do."

"It's not impossible for the Dark Lord," Dalton replied, "Nothing is. Now, Mr. Potter, if you please, give me the stone."

Dalton held out his hand towards Harry for him to give the stone over. Was this it? Was this the decision he was going to have to make in which would determine the future?

Suddenly, the two Ministry officials slumped down to the ground. Dalton swiftly took out his wand as Harry, James, and Hermione turned to look behind them.

At the other end of the platform, the hooded assailant stood: one by the name of Sirius Black.

"Sirius," James whispered, taking out his own wand.

The black hood was removed and a young Sirius Black was revealed, his long hair flowing down his back and his face young and youthful.

"How are you, my dear old friend," Sirius called over at James as he walked closer and closer to him, "It has been a long time; too long I'm afraid."

"And what do you plan to do," James asked him, noticing his brandished wand, "Why did you attack us in the Great Hall?"

"Because this parallel world that was created is not supposed to exist; we are here in a violation against the laws of the order," Sirius said.

"And how is it you know of this," James asked.

Sirius smiled nastily as he said, "I've been following Dumbledore around. I mean, what else could I do after I awoke in the dungeons of Hogwarts? That's where I have been all along."

"Enough of this foolishness," Dalton spat out from behind them, "Potter, give me the stone!"

Before Harry could reply, he heard Sirius saying, "I'm going to end the two of us, James, and nothing you can do can stop me."

In the next second, a flurry of curses flew out of every wand in the vicinity: James and Sirius shot hexes at one another while Dalton, Harry, and Hermione shot off jets of light at each other as well.

The chamber was soon filled with cries of flung curses along with different colors of jets of light which flung into the air.

As James and Sirius battled away, Harry and Hermione kept yelling " _PROTEGO_ " over and over for Dalton was flinging curse after curse at them in rapid speed.

Finding a swift opening, Harry yelled, " _STUPEFY_!" The jet of red light flew over Dalton's shoulder and into the statue of Slytherin.

" _AVADA KEDAVRA_ ," Dalton yelled; a jet of green light flew over towards Hermione; she dived out of the way.

" _INCARCEROUS_ ," Harry yelled.

Thick ropes flew out of the tip of his wand but Dalton had already yelled, " _PROTEGO!_ " He suddenly stopped however as he looked down on the wet floor of the chamber.

Harry heard a hurried sound at his feet; he too looked down and saw to his horror, the floor was moving.

Upon taking a closer look, Harry noticed the floor was slithering with a mass movement of baby snakes. Hermione screamed loudly as she stood hurriedly to her feet. However, once she noticed Dalton's state, she pointed her wand and said, " _STUPEFY!_ "

A jet of red light flew over at Dalton and hit him full in the face. He was flung violently over backward; Harry and Hermione heard his skull crack against the stone surface.

The baby snakes however, understood that their dinner was served for they slithered their way over to Dalton's lifeless body and started picking away at his skin, ripping his flesh off of his bones.

Harry and Hermione turned away, disgusted by the sight that had befallen before them. However, when they turned around, they saw James was lying on the wet floor of the chamber, a pool of blood beginning to emit from an open wound on his stomach.

Harry and Hermione looked up and saw Sirius staring at them with malice as Harry and Hermione stared back in equal fervor.

"Your turn," Sirius whispered.

However, before he could shoot a curse over at them, Hermione pointed her wand at him and yelled, " _AVADA KEDAVRA!_ "

A jet of green light flew out of Hermione's wand and hit Sirius in the chest; he slumped over onto the floor, dead.

Harry looked over at Hermione in horror. She had just used the Killing Curse, one of the Unforgivable Curses…something Hermione was unlikely to ever do.

Harry could only draw one conclusion: this Hermione was from a parallel world. As his heart rate quickened, Hermione turned to face Harry.

"Hermione," he asked in disbelief. He saw that she was raising her wand; Harry, shocked by this new revelation, said, " _PETRIFICUS TOTALUS_." Hermione's arms and legs snapped together as she fell backward; however, before she crashed onto the stone floor, Harry caught her in mid-fall and laid her down gently.

Harry looked back over towards Dalton and saw the baby snakes were still picking away at his flesh; he could on wonder what would happen when Dalton would wake up.

A pounding of footsteps alerted Harry as his gaze fell upon Dumbledore: the wizard with all of the secrets.

"Professor," Harry breathed, not thinking of anything else to say.

Dumbledore did a quick survey of the scene that lay around his feet; as his eyes fell upon Hermione, he said, "I thought she might be."

"You knew of this," Harry asked, anger seeping into his voice as he pointed down at Hermione.

"I had my concerns," the headmaster replied.

"Since when," Harry asked again.

"From your time in the forest," Dumbledore replied, "I was there, Harry, and I heard her voice as well as the voice of James. It was then that I had thought Miss Granger might not be the one we all know of."

"How do we fix this? How does this end? How do I get Hermione back," Harry cried out in frustration, looking around at the bodies lying on the floor of the chamber, panic rising through him.

"Harry, you first need to calm down and take deep, slow breaths," Dumbledore instructed. As Harry did so, Dumbledore watched him intently.

After he had finished, Dumbledore said, "I need the stone now, Harry and you're going to have to make a decision on what to do."

Harry reached into his pocket and pulled out the Resurrection Stone and placed it in the palm of the headmaster's hand.

"Okay, Harry, now follow my instructions very, very carefully. You are going to have two options from what to do which will change the course of the future. Your first option is to destroy the stone: in doing so, you will eliminate any chance of the High Council of ever going back in time to use this stone to give Voldemort his rise to power to take control of the Ministry. But, if you destroy the stone, this world in which we are a part of at this present moment will become our new reality."

"Can't you just hide the stone," Harry asked.

At this, Dumbledore suddenly looked downcast as he replied, "I'm afraid that Voldemort will call for it and it will respond to him."

"Is that because this stone is a horcrux," Harry asked.

"No because Professor Snape and I destroyed the horcrux that was contained inside. You see, Voldemort placed a powerful charm upon this stone in which he can call for it when he wishes to do so," Dumbledore replied.

"Why hasn't he called for it then," Harry asked.

"Because he did not know it had fallen into the hands of his enemies. You see, Voldemort's followers never called for him unless they were given specific orders to do so, Harry. If they called him and told him the stone was stolen, he likely would have murdered the person or people that called him."

Harry looked around in disbelief again as he asked, "And what is my second option?"

"This option is a lot graver and quite risky Harry: your second option is to cast a specific spell upon the stone in which it will send you back in time in which you had to make definitive and important decision."

"And which time will that be, professor?"

"I do not know which is why this is a very risky option to take. It also leaves open the opportunity for which the High Council could take over the school again. But I'm afraid, Harry, you must choose one or the other."

"What happens if I don't choose? So far, these two worlds have co-existed with one another," Harry remarked.

"Have they," Dumbledore asked, looked around at the strewn bodies, "Because it seems to me these two worlds have come into conflict with one another quite distinctly."

Down deep in his heart, Harry knew Dumbledore was right: he had to make a choice. Nodding his head as if to remind himself he was making the right one, Harry said, "What's the spell to send me back in time?"

"Are you sure this is what you want, Harry? Remember that you cannot go back and choose otherwise."

"I'm positive," Harry replied, looking over at Hermione.

"I should give you another fair warning then: you may not be the same person as you are now. The stone may alter your past in very finite ways that could impact life as you seem to know it," Dumbledore said.

"What does that mean? Is there a possibility that James and Lily might not be my parents?"

"Oh no, the stone has no power to alter blood, Harry; it does however have the power to alter certain traits about a person. The details of which I am unsure of, as you are the first person to ever attempt such a thing."

"I still choose to do so, anyway," replied Harry, "It seems like the best option of the two."

Dumbledore nodded silently as he said, "Point your wand at the stone Harry and say, very clearly, ' _INITIUM._ '"

Harry pointed his wand at the stone; however, before he could say anything, Dumbledore whispered quietly to him, "Remember who you truly, are Harry, for all of our sakes."

" _INITIUM_ ," Harry muttered, taking one final look at both James and Hermione. A blinding white light suddenly emitted from the stone as it rose into the air; the light surrounded Harry, casting him in an eternal glow.

Harry could not see anything, not even Dumbledore who he had assumed was mere feet away. The stone rose higher and higher into the white light as Harry's green eyes follow its ascent.

A powerful whoosh filled Harry's ears as he felt like he was being knocked backward. He could hear voices around him yet they were too faint to hear clearly. His vision was becoming sharper and more focused though as he still had the feeling of falling backwards.

Wondering if this queer sensation would ever end, a mixture of voices suddenly flooded Harry's ears; blinking rapidly, he saw four faces looking down upon him with each face harboring looks of anxiousness and concern.

"Are you okay, Harry," a voice asked.

Harry turned his head to see Draco Malfoy looking at him strangely.

"M-Malfoy," Harry stuttered.

"Yes; I asked if you're alright; you suddenly fainted," Malfoy replied.

"What are you doing here," Harry asked.

"We're on the train going to Hogwarts," he replied, "We're starting our fourth year, now, Harry. Are you sure you're alright? You seemed to have hit your head rather hard."

Harry remembered how Dumbledore told him aspects of his life would be altered; yet he was not even remotely ready for this. Looking around his compartment he was in, he saw the faces of Pansy Parkinson, Vincent Crabbe, and Gregory Goyle.

Harry then noticed he was wearing his Hogwarts robes only now, however, the Slytherin crest was embodied upon his robes.

"I think I need to use the loo," Harry commented quietly, stepping out of the compartment.

He started breathing heavily all of a sudden, unaware of what to do. Was this some kind of a hell Harry was eternally trapped in or some sick, twisted joke being played out? Then again, when has Malfoy ever been one to play a prank like this on Harry?

Walking past each compartment window, he noticed students talking to each other and laughing, not a care in the world; yet Harry felt as if his whole world had crumbled around him yet he did not know why.

Suddenly, something ahead caught his attention: a mane of bushy brown hair. "Hermione," he suddenly called out.

The mane of bushy hair stopped suddenly and turned around. Harry felt his heart leap for joy as his eyes fell upon Hermione's face. Why was it that Harry never realized how beautiful she was before now?

Harry ran up to her only to see her shrinking away from him.

"Hermione, what's wrong," Harry asked.

"Um, why are you talking to me," she asked in a hushed whisper.

"Because I'm your best friend," he replied.

"No, I think you're mistaken…I don't even know you," Hermione replied.

"H-Hermione! It's me…Harry Potter!"

She shook her head slowly back and forth as she replied, "I'm sorry, but I don't know who you are."

Harry looked down upon her robes and saw her robes had the Ravenclaw crest upon it. "You're in Ravenclaw," Harry said.

"Yes, and you're in Slytherin," Hermione pointed out.

Before Harry could say anything else, someone bumped into him from behind. Turning around, he saw a head of fiery red hair.

"Ron!"

Ron Weasley looked up at Harry; noticing who he was, Ron's face turned sour and he spat out, "Having another go at me and my family, Potter? It wasn't enough that you tortured me all of last year?"

With that, Ron harshly shouldered his way past Harry without even a second glimpse at Hermione.

"What is going on here," Harry asked himself.

"Listen, I really should head back to my compartment and you should go back to yours," Hermione suggested.

And with that, Harry watched Hermione disappear into a nearby compartment, shutting its door shut and leaving Harry out in the deserted hallway of the Hogwarts Express.

Harry ran to the bathroom and splashed some cold water on his face. 'Wake up, wake up, wake up,' he repeated over and over in his head. 'This is all some bad dream.'

However, remembering what Dumbledore had told him before, this wasn't a bad dream…it was his new reality. A reality in which he was in Slytherin House and where Ron hated the sight of him and Hermione had no idea who he even was!

Harry suddenly felt very sick; so sick that he bent over the toilet and vomited inside of it. He retched over and over again as a foul smell began to flood the bathroom.

After he was finished, Harry rinsed his mouth with cold water and splashed some more over his face.

Suddenly, a new revelation dawned upon him: even though this was his new reality, it doesn't have to mean it has to remain. Who says a Slytherin cannot be friends with a Gryffindor and Ravenclaw?

He would change the nature of the Hogwarts house formalities and nothing would stop him; nothing would stop him from being with Hermione again!

It was a long road if Harry was to be truthful and he a lot of information to find out about but it was a road Harry was willing to travel down. For in the end, Harry told himself he would again win the heart of Hermione and his friendship with Ron. His love for Hermione was too great for them to not be together. Someday and somehow, they will be together again.

Harry looked at his reflection in the mirror of the bathroom. He nodded his head in silent understand as he said to himself, "I'll start over…everything will become new. The strongest hearts are worth fighting for."

Harry then turned on the spot and marched out of the bathroom; with a new air of contentment, Harry walked back towards the Slytherin compartment with a smile on his face. He would be reunited with Ron and Hermione again…he was sure of it.

THE END

A WizardWriting Story


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